Rockdale draws from the Austin, Temple-Killeen, and Bryan-College Station labor markets at once, with lower living costs that help employers recruit and keep their people.
- 75%Rockdale High graduates earning an industry-based certification, more than twice the Texas rate
- 4,600+Engineering graduates a year from UT Austin and Texas A&M
- 8,000Soldiers leaving active duty at Fort Hood each year
- $5.25MFederal investment in Rockdale ISD's College & Career Academy
Sources: ASEE, Engineering by the Numbers (2023); U.S. Economic Development Administration (2024); TEA, 2023–24 Texas Academic Performance Report (Class of 2023).
Talent Pipeline
Rockdale ISD College & Career Academy
A $5.25 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant is turning Rockdale ISD's College & Career Academy into a hub for advanced courses in health science, manufacturing, and technology. Students choose from ten career pathways:
- Ag Technology & Mechanical Systems
- Animal Science
- Business Management
- Diagnostic & Therapeutic Services
- Graphic Design
- Information Technology
- Plant Science
- Teaching
- Construction Management
- Engineering Foundations
- 87% of Rockdale High students take career and technical courses (Texas: 73%)
- 100% of the Class of 2023 graduated in four years (Texas: 90%)
- 76% of graduates are career or military ready (Texas: 36%)
- 33% earned college credit through dual enrollment (Texas: 24%)
Source: TEA, 2023–24 Texas Academic Performance Report, Rockdale High School.
See Rockdale ISD career programs →Temple College
Temple College offers dual-credit and workforce courses on-site at the Rockdale ISD College & Career Academy.
- Industrial & Applied Technology
- Business & Information Systems
Texas State Technical College
TSTC's Williamson County campus in Hutto trains technicians for manufacturing employers and builds custom programs for companies.
- Precision Machining
- Welding
- Advanced Manufacturing
- HVAC
- Computer Networking
Area Universities
- The University of Texas at Austin
- Texas A&M University
- Baylor University
- Southwestern University
- Texas A&M University–Central Texas
- St. Edward's University
- Huston-Tillotson University
Transitioning Military
About 8,000 soldiers leave active duty at Fort Hood in Killeen each year, and many want to stay in Central Texas. They bring technical training, leadership, and security clearances.
Workforce Resources
Texas Workforce Commission
- Skills Development Fund
- High Demand Job Training
- Texas Industry Partnership
- Skills for Small Business
- Recruit Texas
- Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Workforce Solutions of Central Texas
The regional workforce board for Milam County helps employers recruit, screen, and train workers.
- Hiring events and job fairs
- Candidate screening
- Training grants
Talent Development
- Student internships and special programs through Rockdale ISD
- Customized training from Temple College and TSTC
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