FROM THE EDITOR
Congratulations and best wishes to the Class of 2025.
Hold your heads high and get ready to seize your destiny, whether you’re pursuing a vocation, a trade, a college degree, the military, going into the ministry or answering some other calling.
But whatever you do, don’t forget eastern Williamson County, your home and where friends and family are.
Go out into the world. Live a little, throw off the shackles of town and tradition, see the sights, gain some wisdom, enjoy some triumphs, suffer some heartaches and then come back.
That’s right — return home and do your part to contribute to the greater good of the region. Give back to the people and places that raised and nurtured you, that made you who are.
Not so long ago, sons and daughters of east Wilco left the Blackland Prairie in search of more opportunities, better pay and chances to grow in their careers.
In short, the county experienced a “brain drain.”
That no longer has to be the case. Opportunities for a rewarding future abound here at home. Nowhere is this better reflected than the meteoric investment high-tech companies are making in the area, from Samsung Austin Semiconductor to data centers. In addition, plenty of ancillary businesses supplying those new firms need workers, too.
With the announcement in November 2021 that Samsung would open a second Austin-area factory in Taylor, local career and technology programs set their sights on training and keeping students here.
The industrial boom in Williamson County — and the increase in manufacturing and service jobs — makes this area an attractive destination for recent grads.
The real trick in the days ahead will be supplying enough qualified workers for these companies.
Local institutions are stepping up to offer careers that match these advanced jobs.
Temple College, the University of Texas, local school districts and even companies such as Samsung offer training, internships and the prospect of future positions.
Meanwhile, here are a few pearls of wisdom for folks embarking on their foray into a wider world: 1. Dress for success. 2. Eat your vegetables. 3. Get plenty of sleep. 4. Neither a borrower nor a lender be (thanks, Shakespeare). 5. Take any tips you hear from your elders with a shaker of salt.
Thomas Edwards
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