As head of one of the largest workforce boards in the state – Workforce Solutions Alamo – Chakib Chehadi is responsible for a 12-county region, including San Antonio.

Each year, Workforce Solutions Alamo (WSA) works to secure millions of dollars from the state and federal governments to fund career one stop centers, training for eligible individuals and employees, subsidized childcare, youth programs, emerging industries and business services for employers of all sizes.

"We know what makes people successful and that is opportunity," said Chehadi. "Working with the Alamo region employers and jobseekers helps us put the opportunities in the forefront. Sometimes opportunity comes in the form of training. Other times, it is help with childcare. It makes me proud to know that we are helping people seize the opportunities that come their way and successfully transition into meaningful work."

Since taking over as executive director of Workforce Solutions Alamo in January 2008, the agency has won commendation from the state two years in a row for being the No. 1 large workforce board.

"Last year we served upwards of 125,000 people through our programs," Chehadi said. "It's all about relationships. Relationships with businesses and potential employees and helping both sides find the perfect match with each other."

Whether a new business or an existing business needs help, Chehadi makes sure all reap the rewards of subsidized employee contracts, participation in job fairs and free recruitment, as well as offering training contracts in specialized fields such as green jobs. WSA can screen applicants, coordinate training needs and make the hiring process run smoothly.

In 2009, Broadway Bank received the Employer Award of Excellence from Workforce Solutions and the Texas Workforce Commission due to its continued use and support of workforce programs throughout the region.

"We want to ensure that all our clients, whether they are an employer or an employee, get their needs met when they come to us," Chehadi said. "We want to see individuals put into good paying jobs. We want to see employers find the quality workers they seek. As an organization, we are an asset for both the business community and individuals searching for a new career."

And when it comes to finding a new career, Workforce Solutions Alamo has done their homework for job seekers by identifying key industry clusters and individual occupations that are in demand throughout our community; advanced manufacturing, aerospace, health care and bioscience, construction, financial services and IT-Internet and telecom are industries that have great potential to raise the region's wages and the number of quality jobs.

"Each of these industries is outpacing the national average and is growing within the Alamo region'" said Chehadi. "Positions range from entry level, on-the-job-training to advanced degree, plus work experience. We also help interested and eligible applicants get the training they need for those jobs."

Last year's success was due in large part to the more than $25 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, aka stimulus funds. The money helped pay for the highly popular youth summer employment program, which provided internships for young adults ages 14 to 24, many of whom found permanent positions at numerous businesses around the city.

"We were excited to see businesses find the interns such an asset to the company and worthy of being a part of the team after the program was complete," said Chehadi. "We were also pleased at the sizeable number of employers who participated in the program and for whom we were able to match with a young, energetic workforce during a difficult economic time."

Also coming from that $25 million in stimulus funds was more money to pay for subsidized childcare, as well as training through the re-employment center. It was established to assist people, mostly with higher education and previous career experience, locate another job within their field or a similar field, or assesses their skills to see where they were most transferable.

"The re-employment center serves primarily unemployment insurance claimants, veterans and others who were displaced when the economy took a turn for the worse last year," said Chehadi.

The center offers resources, such as one-on-one career counseling, interviewing seminars and clinics on resume writing.

"My goal is to serve this community, and meet the needs of the employer and the worker" Chehadi said. "I want to ensure businesses have the right human resources necessary for success, and I want to put people to work for the greater benefit of our community."