Pflugerville Community Development Corporation (TX) – Comprehensive Workforce Study
Challenge
Situated 20 miles north of Austin, the suburban community of Pflugerville, Texas, has a rich history of German roots and ample outdoor amenities. Pflugerville’s relative affordability and family-friendly atmosphere, combined with the regional expansion of manufacturing and technology, have led to massive growth; Pflugerville’s population size has surged in the last two decades. Yet, there are barriers to the community’s ability to attract workers and ensure residents are trained for good jobs, including a lack of strong community identity and higher education presence. These factors have led Pflugerville to be a net exporter of talent, revealing an opportunity to strengthen workforce development efforts and support the community’s aspirations of drawing high-skilled jobs and training skilled workers.
Response
The Pflugerville Community Development Corporation (PCDC) contracted with TIP Strategies in early 2024 to develop an actionable plan for addressing the community’s workforce challenges and expanding job prospects for its residents. To build a solid foundation of data for the study, TIP conducted a thorough quantitative analysis of labor, industry, and education conditions in Pflugerville and the region. This analysis drove the selection of five strategic opportunity areas—advanced technology and innovation, life sciences, software and IT, retail, and skilled trades—and the identification of the most sought-after roles and specialized skills within each area. Drawing on collaborative discussions of relevant trends with city, industry, and education leaders and the firm’s national portfolio of talent-driven engagements, TIP developed ten workforce recommendations to bolster PCDC’s talent efforts. Each recommendation is crafted with supporting data, stakeholder input, detailed strategies, illustrative case studies, and additional resources to promote successful implementation. This comprehensive plan provides a cohesive framework for fostering a skilled talent pipeline of all ages in Pflugerville.