The City of Austin and FUSE are collaborating to expand access to high-wage, high-growth careers in advanced manufacturing, particularly for students from historically underserved communities. FUSE Executive Fellow Edgar Padilla will conduct a stakeholder listening tour across school districts, employers, and community organizations to identify barriers to participation in technical education pathways. This work will build on existing initiatives and research to uncover opportunities for stronger alignment across systems.
Using these insights, Padilla will design targeted strategies to improve student enrollment and completion in career pathways, including strengthening partnerships, enhancing outreach, and expanding wraparound supports. The project will also include developing messaging to reframe manufacturing careers and creating scalable models that can be applied to other industries. Together, these efforts will position Austin to build a more inclusive, future-ready workforce ecosystem.
