What if everything you thought you knew about manufacturing careers was completely outdated?

Host Monica Magallanes welcomes Keri Westland, Chief Administrative Officer at Carr Lane Manufacturing, to discuss how modern manufacturing is creating pathways for Central Texas students. Keri, a third-generation leader who started on the assembly line at 15, now oversees operations for Carr Lane's facilities in St. Louis and Elgin, Texas. With 73 years of industry experience, Carr Lane manufactures precision tooling components used globally—including parts that have been going to space since the U.S. space program began. Keri shares her viral catchphrase "manufacturing is magic" and explains how combining art, science, math, and technology creates exciting career opportunities.

This episode explores Carr Lane's four-year participation in Workforce Solutions Capital Area's Teacher Externship Program, where educators spend a week learning manufacturing processes hands-on, then bring that knowledge back to their classrooms. Monica and Keri discuss partnerships with Elgin ISD and Texas State Technical College, dispelling outdated manufacturing myths about dirty and dangerous conditions, career advancement from entry-level to management positions, educational requirements for manufacturing careers, and why building a talent pipeline requires industry-wide collaboration. Listeners will discover how Carr Lane's bilingual, climate-controlled Elgin facility is changing perceptions and creating opportunities for the next generation.

Keri Westland serves as Chief Administrative Officer at Carr Lane Manufacturing, where she began her career as a high school student, working on the assembly line and in shipping, accounting, and purchasing. Over more than 20 years, she has built teams and led initiatives in human resources, recruiting, talent development, and diversity and inclusion, including roles at Waddell & Reed Financial and State Street before returning to Carr Lane.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Why Carr Lane participates in teacher externship every year

• (02:23) How starting on the assembly line at 15 shaped a manufacturing career

• (08:02) Dispelling myths about dirty, dangerous manufacturing conditions

• (11:05) Career advancement from assembly line to production manager explained

• (16:58) How ‘manufacturing is magic’ went viral in the Austin business community

• (21:02) Why teacher externship is the favorite week of the year for Carr Lane's team

• Like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!

About the show:

Austin Hires Local, powered by Workforce Solutions Capital Area, dives deep with the trailblazers who are shaping the future of jobs in our city, our state, and even nationally. We pull back the curtain on the challenges we all face – the anxieties, the roadblocks, and what's holding us back from filling those critical open positions. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. We also celebrate the victories: the ingenious solutions, the unexpected collaborations, and the best practices that are making us all sharper. You’ll hear guests from all sides of the table – elected officials with a finger on the pulse of the economy, industry leaders from booming sectors like tech, healthcare, and skilled trades, and educators shaping young minds in our schools and post-secondary education programs. So, tune in and get ready to be informed, insp...

In this milestone episode, former CEO Tamara Atkinson sits down with Yael Lawson, Workforce Solutions Capital Area's newly appointed Interim CEO and longtime Chief Operations Officer. With 25 years at the organization—beginning as a program specialist and rising through the ranks—Yael brings deep operational expertise and an unwavering commitment to community-centered workforce development. Her leadership philosophy centers on treating clients as neighbors and ensuring services remain accessible, personalized, and impactful for Central Texas families and job seekers.

This candid conversation covers Yael's three strategic priorities as interim CEO: transforming service delivery through personalized career navigation and technology, diversifying funding beyond federal sources to meet local needs, and investing in staff development and leadership cultivation. Tamara and Yael reflect on their 25-year partnership, share memorable moments from their work together, and discuss how Workforce Solutions will position itself as the region's workforce expert. The episode also highlights Yael's vision for leveraging AI and community partnerships to strengthen workforce outcomes.

Yael Lawson serves as Interim Chief Executive Officer of Workforce Solutions Capital Area, a role she was appointed to in September 2025. She has worked with the organization since 2000, previously serving as Chief Operations Officer since 2017. She provides strategic leadership across workforce programs, child care services, employment support, and employer engagement. Her career began working directly with clients, experience that continues informing her approach to program design and implementation. Ms. Lawson also serves as Chair of the On Point Reentry Consortium and previously served on the board of The Arc of Central Texas, demonstrating her longstanding commitment to workforce development and community partnerships across the region.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Funny office moments and the dynamic between Tamara and Yael over 25 years

• (07:22) Reflections on her two-decade career at Workforce Solutions and creating roles that still exist today

• (09:16) Clarifying the role of a workforce board: board of directors vs board staff

• (12:40) Interim CEO priorities: strengthening service delivery and technology, diversifying funding through public partnerships, developing staff and cultivating leadership

• (20:04) Transforming into a navigation model where WFS is seen as a workforce expert not just a program operator

• (26:46) Tamara's farewell reflections and gratitude to partners

• Like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!

About the show:
Austin Hires Local, powered by Workforce Solutions Capital Area and hosted by WFS CEO Tamara Atkinson, dives deep with the trailblazers who are shaping the future of jobs in our city, our state, and even nationally. We pull back the curtain on the challenges we all face – the anxieties, the roadblocks, and what's holding us back from filling those critical open positions. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. We also celebrate the victories: the ingenious solutions, the unexpected collaborations, and the best practices that are making us all sharper. You’ll hear guests from all sides of the table – elected officials with a finger on the pulse of the economy, industry leaders from booming sectors like tech, healthcare, and skilled trades, and educators s...

What if a university president told you to call them directly with your workforce needs and they'd build a custom program around it?

Host Tamara Atkinson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Capital Area, checks in with Dr. Kristi Kirk, President and CEO of Concordia University Texas, and the first woman to lead the institution in its nearly 100-year history. Dr. Kirk has over 30 years of higher education experience, starting as an admissions counselor at Concordia and working her way up through leadership roles. Her focus centers on making higher education accessible to underserved communities, reducing barriers to entry, and developing programming that directly addresses Austin's workforce needs through innovative community partnerships.

The conversation explores Concordia's unique position in Austin's higher education landscape, particularly its role as a Hispanic-serving institution graduating approximately 150 nurses annually with exceptional NCLEX pass rates. Dr. Kirk discusses the university's embrace of artificial intelligence in education, the expansion of STEM programs, and strategic partnerships with organizations like Leander ISD's Aspiring Teachers Program and Leadership Austin's MBA pathway. Key topics include service learning, the value of advanced degrees versus credentials, and Concordia's open invitation for community partnerships to co-create workforce development programming.

Dr. Kristi Kirk is the president and CEO of Concordia University Texas, the 10th executive leader in the University’s nearly 100-year history and the first woman to serve as president at the University. With over 30 years in higher education, she has advanced access through initiatives like reducing the published tuition by 40% and securing a $2.71 million grant to improve outcomes for students from underserved communities. Starting as an admissions manager in 1993, Dr. Kirk is committed to fostering a higher education that reflects Concordia Texas’s core values.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Dr. Kirk’s first job as a baseball scorekeeper and what it taught her
• (05:23) How Concordia stands out in Austin's higher education landscape with accessible education and a diverse student population
• (11:05) Concordia's impact on the healthcare workforce - graduating 150 nurses annually with strong NCLEX pass rates
• (18:03) How Concordia is embracing AI in higher education and why small schools have advantages
• (28:54) Addressing the value of advanced degrees versus short-term credentials and finding your own path
• (36:42) Concordia's call to action for community partnerships to build stronger graduate pipelines
• Like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes!

About the show:

Austin Hires Local, powered by Workforce Solutions Capital Area and hosted by WFS CEO Tamara Atkinson, dives deep with the trailblazers who are shaping the future of jobs in our city, our state, and even nationally. We pull back the curtain on the challenges we all face – the anxieties, the roadblocks, and what's holding us back from filling those critical open positions. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. We a...