Building Workforce Opportunity and Community Connection in Smithville: The Vision Behind Career Tracks

Sergeant. Workhorse. Advocate. Energizer Bunny. These are just a few ways people lovingly describe Janice Bruno, the executive director of Career Tracks in Smithville, Texas. So, it was no surprise when, in true Janice Bruno fashion, she kicked off the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate Career Track’s new building with a speech in the style of a Dr. Seuss rhyme on January 22, 2026. 

“You can take in the future’s insight when skills meet opportunity and hard work meets life. Let’s pause and reflect on the journey it took to reach this event. On January 7th, 2025, ground was broken.” Bruno said, addressing a crowd made up of community members from the Smithville area. “A dream came alive and now, one year later, the moment is here. Career Tracks Regional Training Center is finished. Strong, ready and clear. But today we celebrate more than a building. We celebrate a place built on vision, commitment and community where individuals will gain confidence and direction in the many places they will go.” 

Just 12 miles southeast of Bastrop, Smithville is home to approximately 4,500 people. Career Track’s new building stands with a mission: empower the rural workforce and provide local employers with job-ready talent. Smithville’s limited job options mean many young people leave for Austin or other opportunities. As a longtime Smithville resident, Bruno is passionate about giving back to her community and creating pathways to opportunities that lead to real outcomes.  “I love seeing those who are given an opportunity succeed,” said Bruno. “I love to motivate people to reach their goals and dreams.”

St. David’s Foundation’s mission is to advance healthy equity and improve the health and wellbeing in our Central Texas region. Economic stability is not a parallel track to health equity—it is one of its most powerful drivers. Reliable income, stable employment, and opportunities for advancement shape whether individuals and families can live healthy lives. Aligned with the Foundation’s efforts to expand rural workforce opportunities, an initial grant was awarded in 2020 to Career Tracks to help launch Bruno’s vision and support staffing for the future center. This funding supported critical case management and the wraparound services needed to help students tackle barriers and stay enrolled. Just a few short years later, Career Tracks has now completed its new building and, in partnership with CyberTex Institute of Technology, will begin offering hands-on healthcare training in its new facility in the summer of 2026. CyberTex has agreed to a 42-month lease agreement with Career Tracks. 

Access to resources that improve economic stability grounds strong communities and can be achieved by supporting organizations that empower the rural workforce with skills for in-demand careers. As a core goal, the Foundation aims to remove economic barriers and improve health by fostering collaboration among community organizations. Smithville leaders hope to retain people by expanding education and job opportunities. “We’re parents hoping their children can build successful lives without leaving Bastrop County,” said Smithville Mayor Sharon Foerster. “Together, we’ve created new pathways to meaningful careers and brighter futures for all.”

For communities to thrive, they need a diverse and locally rooted healthcare workforce capable of meeting the growing health needs of our region. A strong healthcare workforce pipeline not only improves health outcomes but also creates pathways to stable careers. However, the path into healthcare professions is not always straightforward. For many Central Texans, entering these careers requires access to training, education, professional networks, and clinical placements—opportunities that can be difficult to navigate without the right support.

To help expand these pathways, the Bastrop County Public Health Department entered into a cooperative agreement with Career Tracks in 2024 to support more students—particularly those from historically marginalized communities—in earning healthcare certifications and credentials. Supported by a $2 million grant from St. David’s Foundation, the initiative will provide employer engagement, student recruitment, training, case management, and job placement assistance for more than 150 students pursuing careers such as registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, emergency medical technicians, and other high-demand healthcare roles.

“A robust healthcare workforce is the heartbeat of any healthy county. When we invest in the people who can provide care — especially those who live in Bastrop County — we are not only improving patient outcomes, we are also fueling a cycle of economic stability for residents, creating a multiplier effect for the local economy, and ensuring a more resilient and thriving public health future for all,” said Donna Nichols, Executive Director of Bastrop County Public Health Department. “Through our partnership with Career Tracks, Bastrop County is tearing down barriers to healthcare careers.”  

Career Tracks serves students from the four surrounding counties. “We needed folks to realize we were regional and not just serving Smithville.” Career Tracks wants to help employ people with a wage of at least $19.00/hour. Since 2023, 800 students have enrolled in Career Tracks, over 600 secured full-time jobs, 93% in the local area. The program partners with 160+ companies and tracks students for six months after graduation.

Jennifer Sutherland, founder of Redeemed and Restored Ministries and mother of four, is one of many lives transformed by Career Tracks. After 10 years as a real estate agent, she found herself in need of a new direction while also struggling with a mental health crisis as her son served overseas.

For eight weeks, Sutherland traveled an hour to Austin for mental health treatment, a journey that inspired her to become a counselor herself. Motivated by that positive experience, she reached out to Career Tracks, where Case Manager Becky Friend guided her on a new career path. As a single mom, Sutherland found Career Tracks’ support invaluable.

Friend’s family has been in Smithville for generations and this work is personal for her. Friend doesn’t want to see her town become stagnant. “I want to see families stay in Smithville and offer their kids possibilities,” said Friend. 

Sutherland participated in the Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) class and now works alongside her instructor, Charity Rogers, counseling people as she completes practicum hours to become a licensed counselor. “It really meant a lot to me that a stranger cared so much about me. I am able to advance my education, to help my kids and so many people through my ministry,” Sutherland reflected. She plans to offer free mental health counseling and resources through her nonprofit in Fayetteville. 

A month after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, CyberTex is nearing the launch of new coursework focused on healthcare and culinary occupations in the surrounding counties. With this milestone, the Smithville community is one step closer to helping residents pursue studies and build rewarding careers in the trades.

“Working with Becky has been incredible,” Sutherland said. “The instructors pour their hearts into it. When I completed the program, I felt prepared for the world. The people at Career Tracks are passionate and inspire you to help others.” To learn more about Career Tracks, visit careertrackstx.org.