During National Apprenticeship Week, UpSkill Houston and the Greater Houston Apprentice Network will explore the benefits and importance of apprenticeships as a talent strategy for employers. Apprenticeships are valuable tools employers are using to tap diverse talent pools and develop talent with specific skills with a good return on their investment. Though traditionally associated with construction trades, the apprenticeship model lends itself well to paraprofessional roles ranging from tax preparers to insurance underwriters to photovoltaic installers — and yet, they are underutilized. 

Over the past decade, UpSkill Houston has cultivated a distinguished, nationally recognized collaborative network comprising business, industry, education, and community leaders. This alliance has fostered robust relationships and fostered an environment ripe for innovation, aimed at cultivating a workforce primed for success in Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast region. To sustain the region’s economic growth and competitiveness, the Greater Houston Partnership has a concerted focus on talent-driven economic development to support the talent needs of the region’s key industry sectors. Furthermore, the imperative to address skills gaps has intensified as our region undergoes a profound shift from an industrial to a knowledge-based, technology-driven economy.

Speakers Include: 

Employer Panel

• Adriana Kemper - Sr. Manager, Strategic Initiatives, United Airlines
• Summer Reeves - Commercial Strategy, SVP, Umbrage
• Michael Mendoza - Talent Strategy - North America Future Talent, Accenture

Talent Developer Panel

• Tonda Hall - Managing Director - Houston, Per Scholas
• Christina Robinson - Executive Director, Work-Based Learning & Industry Partnerships, Houston Community College

Moderator: Peter Beard, Senior Vice President, Regional Workforce Development, Greater Houston Partnership