Dallas County doesn’t have a “motivation” problem—we have a systems problem.

Raymond E. Alford Jr.

Dallas County Commissioner (District 2) Candidate | Architect, Pathways to Prosperity

Dallas County doesn’t have a “motivation” problem—we have a systems problem.

And the good news is: the money is starting to show up. The question is whether District 2 is positioned to capture it, stack it, and convert it into credentials + paychecks + contracts for the people who actually live here.

This week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced $98 million in available funding through YouthBuild—a pipeline model designed to deliver academic support, occupational skills training, and employment services for young people ages 16–24, with a heavy emphasis on pre-apprenticeships and direct connections into Registered Apprenticeships.

That’s not “feel-good” funding. That’s workforce infrastructure—and Dallas County should treat it exactly like that.

Because while politicians argue, the market is screaming:

Texas is projected to see nearly 1.7 million job openings each year between 2021–2031, driven by new jobs and retirements.

And Texas 2036 points out that nearly 1 million of those openings will require some level of postsecondary credential—not necessarily a four-year degree, but a credential that proves job readiness.

That’s the core of the Pathways to Prosperity message: we don’t have to guess what the future needs—Texas has already told us. The future is credentialed.

The construction industry is telling us the same thing—louder.

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and NCCER’s 2025 workforce survey analysis shows the labor shortage isn’t theoretical:

45% of firms reported project delays caused by shortages in their own workforce or their subcontractors’ workforce.

57% of firms said candidates often aren’t qualified because they lack essential skills or the right certificate/license.

95% of firms increased base pay in the past year, and most firms expect to expand headcount—if they can find people.

Translation: There is opportunity on the table, but not enough trained hands to pick it up.

So when I talk about workforce development, I’m not pitching a slogan. I’m talking about how we stop leaving money on the table—and how we make sure District 2 residents are first in line for the jobs and business revenue created by public investment.

Dallas County already has a foundation we can scale.

Look at what’s happening inside Dallas ISD—right here in our backyard:

42,388 students participated in CTE during the 2023–24 school year.

8,332 Dallas ISD CTE students earned 10,857 credentials in 2023–24 (including 10,335 industry-based certifications).

Dallas ISD also operated 25 P-TECH and Early College High School programs, enrolling 8,079 students in 2023–24.

That’s a real pipeline. But here’s the problem District 2 families feel every day:

CTE participation is not the same as CTE-to-career conversion.

We have to tighten the handoff from: school → credential → work-based learning → apprenticeship → full employment → career growth.

And that’s exactly why the $98M YouthBuild opportunity matters. YouthBuild doesn’t just “train.” It pushes grantees to build real partnerships with Registered Apprenticeship sponsors and it sets a performance expectation for transitions into apprenticeship pathways.

That is the model we should be anchoring in South Dallas, Pleasant Grove, and across District 2: pre-apprenticeship into apprenticeship, with transportation, wraparound supports, and employer commitments baked in from day one.

***What I will push as County Commissioner for District 2***

Here’s my platform in plain language:

1) Build a District 2 “Earn-and-Learn” pipeline that matches Texas’ labor reality

Texas is facing massive job churn. District 2 should be the county’s leading example of how to turn that churn into upward mobility.

2) Bring YouthBuild-style funding home—and stack it with local partners

The DOL says grants will fund about 57 awards and range roughly $1M–$2M per grant.

That means the winners will be the communities that already have partnerships ready (schools, training providers, employers, apprenticeship sponsors, supportive services).

We can do that—because we already do it in workforce development every day.

3) Align CTE with construction and infrastructure demand—because delays are money

When 45% of contractors report delays due to labor shortages, that means:

slower infrastructure improvements,higher project costs,

fewer local hires, and missed contracting opportunities for DBE primes and subs.

Workforce is not separate from economic development. Workforce is economic development.

4) Make credentials count by connecting them to employers that are hiring now

Dallas ISD students are earning thousands of credentials.

My job as Commissioner is to help turn those credentials into:

paid internships, apprenticeship slots, job placements,

and long-term career ladders.

Closing: We don’t need permission—we need execution.

District 2 doesn’t need more panels, more photo ops, or more speeches about “the future.” We need a public leader who can operate, who understands how to win grants, build employer coalitions, and make workforce systems accountable to outcomes.

The federal dollars are moving.

Texas’ workforce demand is undeniable.

The construction labor shortage is real—and it’s holding projects back.

And Dallas ISD is already proving that large-scale CTE participation is possible.

Now it’s time to connect those dots—and make District 2 the model for how Dallas County closes the gap.

I’m Raymond E. Alford Jr.

Candidate for Dallas County Commissioner, District 2.

And I’m building Pathways to Prosperity—one credential, one job, and one contract at a time.