Shaping the Future: Austin's New Programs for Talent & Inclusion

By Emily Blair, CAE

If you ask anyone what makes the apartment industry truly unique, most will say “it’s the people.”  The engaging leasing professionals, the assistant managers who are on-it, the maintenance professionals who go the extra mile for residents.  They are the ones who are making the biggest difference in our community.

The future success of our industry is also on the shoulders of those that will come into this industry in the future.  Right now, they may be in high school, thinking of what comes next and in what career they may thrive.  They may also be readying themselves for a restart, having gone through some challenging times.

One of the great things about the multifamily industry is that it has many entry points, and the professionals working onsite in the communities around Austin represent diversity in work and life experiences.  It’s vitally important for the Association to support, facilitate and ensure the future of the industry.  Sometimes this means standing up a program and collecting key partners to bring some synergy to create something new and impactful.

The Austin Apartment Association is proud to be a partner in two different programs that have recently launched or are currently being built for a launch in 2025. Both programs have the potential to contribute to the pipeline of talent coming into our industry here in the greater Austin area.

Entryway Talent

Entryway is a national 501(c)3 organization, now with a chapter in Central Texas, that transitions individuals and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness to economic self-sufficiency by providing career training, full-time employment and housing opportunities in partnership with the real estate industry.

This organization, the 12th chapter nationally, is now a strategic partner with the Austin Apartment Association, with the mission to provide a life-changing solution for situational homelessness. The program uniquely blends housing and employment in our industry as a critical combination to bring these individuals into a new chapter of their life and set them on a path for sustainable growth individually and in their profession.

Entryway comes to Central Texas with seed capital provided by Lloyd Jones LLC, a real estate investment, development, and management firm specializing in multifamily and senior housing, and with the support of the AAA.

Entryway works with multiple referring partners to identify program Applicants such as workforce development programs, non-profits and technical schools.

Here in Austin, referral partners such as LifeWorks and the Society of St. Vincent DePaul Austin are already referring participants weekly.  Other partners currently being cultivated are Texas Workforce Solutions Capital Area, and Caritas of Austin.

Entryway partners with over 80 apartment management companies, such as Asset Living, Cardinal Group, Greystar, and IRT Living to support people experiencing situational homelessness with career training and opportunities for full time entry-level jobs with discounted housing.

Positions such as a leasing professional or maintenance are great positions for this program.

Entryway provides each participant with ongoing training, mentoring and access to support services to ensure a successful long-term transition. This is made possible with key partners such as Edge2Learn, Grace Hill and Visto, and inperson training offered by the Austin Apartment Association.

Participants receive this wrap-around support from Entryway and a stable job and housing they can afford, which ultimately, supports their pathway to economic self-sufficiency.

Participants, once full-time employed, cultivate a sense of pride and ownership of their future, and remain involved and connected with the Entryway team for a full year so they are supported during and after the transition.

Ensuring the sustainability of program support are ten leaders in the Central Texas area who serve on the Advisory Board: Emily Blair, Executive Vice President, Austin Apartment Association; Andrea Eaton, General Manager, Real Floors; Theresa Ebner, Director of Asset Management, Texas, LDG Development; Lyndsay Hanes, President, Metric Property Management; Eric Leonard, Partner/VP of Business Development, We Do Trash; Marla Mohr, Director of Training and Revenue Management, Spherexx; Brett Pitt, Managing Principal, Merriman Pitt Anderson; Kendall Pretzer, CEO, Grace Hill; William Talbot, Partner/Chief Investment Officer, Maslow’s Properties; Renee Zahn, Managing Director, Greystar Real Estate Partners.

Already, results are tangible. Entryway Central Texas placed its first participant who moved into her new apartment at the end of August.  She is now employed with a property management company in a leasing role. She and her daughter are now stably housed after years of struggling.

Huge thanks to Metric Property Management, CORT Furniture, and more for their contributions, partnership and overall role in this successful placement!

How Can You Help?

Volunteers are needed in several ways, including mentorship, resume support, job coaching, fundraising and special events, marketing and more. Find out how to get involved here: https://entrywaytalent.org/volunteer/.

Earn & Learn for Maintenance

As we saw with Entryway, the catalyst for any new program can be the influence and inspiration of just one or two individuals and organizations who have a vision.  This is absolutely the case with an earn and learn approach under development with Goodwill Career and Technical Academy.

Camden, a longtime member and powerhouse in the apartment industry has the vision to bring the success of a Houston maintenance apprenticeship program, here to Austin.

They saw that the recipe was here – we had the support of the Texas Apartment Association Education Foundation, the training facility, as well as the need here in Austin to impact maintenance hiring. Camden saw that this “earn and learn” program resulted in effectively fulfilling the need of maintenance openings in Houston.

What’s to Come?

Once off the ground in 2025, the program will enable a management company to employ individuals on day-1 and build new hires’ knowledge through classroom training and on the job. This program is designed where half of the student’s day is spent in class, and the other half of the day is spent immediately putting to use and application their skills and knowledge.

Each cohort of the program will last 10-12 weeks and will be taught by industry experts.

The Austin Apartment Association is partnering with Goodwill, instructors, and Camden to bring this to life, and more partners are welcome. Camden is generously investing in this program, but it is for everyone. Any management company will be invited to hire individuals and place students from the program into their maintenance positions.

To find out more, contact Dana Bolz, Senior Director of Events & Education at dana@austinaptassoc.com.

These unique programs are a fitting example of how our impact is greatest and our value to the communities we serve is highest when we are united as an industry.

The Austin Apartment Association is proud to serve current and future rental housing professionals across all career stages and professional development, so they can provide quality rental homes for the people residing in their communities.