Mike Ramsey is the Executive Director of Workforce Development for the City of San Antonio. He is responsible for the implementation of the City’s workforce development strategies including the SA Ready to Work Program. SA Ready to Work addresses the barriers many residents face in accessing careers that foster economic stability and targets residents who have been historically underserved. Mike joined the City of San Antonio and opened the City’s newly formed Workforce Development Office in August of 2021.

Mike Ramsey previously served as the Dean of Workforce Development of St. Petersburg College (SPC) in St. Petersburg, Florida where he functioned as the College’s principal administrator for Workforce, Career & Technical Education programs. He assisted in guiding the overall direction of SPC as a member of the President’s Cabinet, to ensure the effectiveness of all SPC workforce programming. Mike provided direct leadership for the Division of Workforce, Community, & Corporate Partnerships in college-wide efforts to provide online and face to face in-demand short-term training programs aligned to local industry needs within the regions targeted sectors. Mike functioned as an intermediary between industry and the college to ensure the efficient re-skilling and up-skilling of employees and job seekers alike. He established community and business partnerships to ensure local industry labor needs were met by properly aligning the institutions workforce program offerings to ensure exceptional labor market outcomes for both students and employers.

Mike also previously worked at Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) in Florida where he oversaw both secondary and post-secondary Career, Technical, & Adult Education (CTAE) programs. These programs were designed to provide training for high skill, high wage jobs to enhance the talent supply available within the local workforce. He also oversaw the Adult Education programs leading to a high school diploma, GED, or English language acquisition. He has focused his efforts on establishing community and business partnerships that align training program offerings with local industry demand.

Summary: In 2020, San Antonio voters passed a ballot initiative approving a sales-tax funded workforce development program that would become San Antonio Ready to Work. In this session, attendees will learn about the program origin and structure and how City staff and leaders must prioritize its stakeholders throughout the local ecosystem to build a successful program. This presentation will place a special focus on how workforce development programs can be a great talent pool resource for local employers and how local HR staff can engage with SA RTW, inform the program on its hiring needs and learn about workforce strategies.

Powerpoint: Coming Soon!