Texas Workshop Connects Small Businesses to Free Training

Small business owners in Three Rivers, Texas just discovered they've been sitting on a goldmine of free support services they never knew existed.

On May 28, local employers gathered for the "Soup, Sandwiches & Success" workshop hosted by the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce. The event revealed a network of no-cost programs funded through existing payroll taxes that help businesses recruit, train, and keep great employees.

Lenny Anzaldua from Workforce Solutions Coastal Bend walked business owners through services most had never heard of. Companies can get help writing job posts, screening candidates, and even use workforce center facilities for interviews at zero cost.

Joe Esparza, the Texas Workforce Commission's employer representative, drove home an important point. "The state has resources that we want to make sure our small businesses and employers are using," he said, emphasizing that rural communities especially need to tap into these programs.

The Skills for Small Business program caught attention by offering companies with fewer than 100 employees access to customized training for their teams. Some internship programs come fully funded, meaning employers can train new workers without paying their wages during the learning period.

Anzaldua encouraged businesses to expand their hiring lens beyond traditional candidates. Older workers bring experience and reliability, while people with disabilities and veterans offer unique skills that many employers overlook.

The workshop also unveiled financial incentives hiding in plain sight. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit gives employers tax breaks for hiring veterans, young workers, and people overcoming past challenges. Fidelity Bonding removes the risk of hiring applicants with complicated backgrounds by providing free insurance coverage.

Beyond hiring help, the programs assist with employee handbooks, unemployment insurance questions, and even connect businesses to attorneys for employment law guidance. Workers themselves can access support for tuition, transportation, childcare, and tools needed for training in high-demand fields.

The Ripple Effect

When small businesses thrive, entire communities benefit. These workforce programs don't just fill job openings. They connect people facing barriers to opportunities that change their lives while solving real problems for employers struggling to find reliable workers.

The partnership between local chambers and state workforce programs creates a safety net that catches both businesses and job seekers before they fall through the cracks. Rural areas like Three Rivers need these connections most, where resources often feel scarce and business owners wear too many hats to research every available program.

By bringing state resources directly to small town employers over soup and sandwiches, the chamber made accessing help as simple as showing up for lunch. That accessibility transforms programs on paper into real growth for real businesses.

Small businesses power local economies, and now more Three Rivers employers know they don't have to grow alone.