San Antonio updates Ready to Work training rules, adds incentives for justice‑involved hires

San Antonio staff told the Economic and Workforce Development Committee on Nov. 10 that the Ready to Work on‑the‑job training (OJT) and incumbent worker training (IWT) pilot has produced early retention and placement outcomes and that the program will expand under FY26 budget proposals.

In a presentation, a staff presenter identified as Mike, staff member with the Economic Development Department, said Round 1 began about two years earlier and, as of Nov. 3, 2025, had served businesses and workers in both OJT and IWT pilots. "Round 1 outcomes" included 6 small and 14 large businesses in OJT (32 and 255 participants, respectively) and 6 small and 5 large businesses in IWT (88 and 231 participants). Mike said retention for OJT (new hires) was about 74% and for IWT (existing employees) about 93%.

Why it matters: the city is proposing rules and budget allocations intended to scale the pilot and tie public dollars more directly to wage gains and job placements. For OJT, staff said the FY26 budget proposes $3…