A report released this year by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Women’s Bureau revealed a striking dilemma that many Central Texas families already know: Access to high-quality child care is vital to the success of our workforce, but the cost of early-learning programs is often untenable for families across all care types, age groups, and county population sizes.

Families with younger children across the United States pay a lot of money for child care. Whether that care is focused on full-day early learning for infants and toddlers, or after-school care for children up to age 12, a large share of a family’s income goes to paying for child care services. How do we better empower families in Central Texas to upskill and pursue careers in high demand while they are struggling to identify affordable child care arrangements with high-quality providers focused on developing the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of children?

Join Future Ready NextForce Podcast Host Diane Tackett, Chief Operating Officer with Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), and her guests, Paul Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer with WSRCA, Madison Mattise, Director of Pre-K Partnerships with the United Way for Greater Austin, and Butch Aggen, Owner of the Goddard School of Cedar Park, as they identify existing barriers to success that working families are facing as they look to enroll their children in care, as well as opportunities and solutions available to help the entire family succeed.

A quarter of the regional population of Central Texas is under 18, and many will be entering the workforce this year. How do we better empower these youth for Central Texas careers in high demand? Join Future Ready NextForce Podcast Host Diane Tackett, Chief Operating Officer with Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), and her guests, Paul Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer with WSRCA, Camille Clay, Senior Director of College and Career Transition Programs with Leander Independent School District, and LaKissa Bright, Founder and President of Ladders For Leaders, as they review current challenges and solutions to connect classrooms to careers and introduce Texas youth to the world of work.