At the Fort Worth Chamber, we believe that bringing the right people together can spark meaningful progress—and our recent convening of the UT-Arlington College of Engineering and local engineering-centric business leaders is a prime example of that philosophy in action. 

Texas graduates approximately 15,000 engineering students annually, but the need is closer to 30,000. That talent gap is being felt in Fort Worth, where employers are eager to hire—but often find themselves competing with out-of-region recruiters or struggling to connect with students before graduation. 

As Steve Montgomery, Chamber President & CEO, emphasized in his welcome remarks, “It is our role to ensure the voice of business is being considered where decisions are being made. And our greatest tool is the ability to convene the right people in the same room.” 

At this roundtable, key questions took center stage: How do we better promote engineering careers to students earlier? How can universities like UTA—ranked among the top five engineering schools in Texas—retain graduates in our region? And how can industry and education form closer, more productive ties? 

Justin Loth, Director of Transmission Planning at Oncor and a UTA alumnus, shared how his company actively recruits from local institutions. “Our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. Students from UTA and nearby institutions come well-prepared, eager to contribute, and often bring innovative thinking to the table,” he said. “This type of meeting is a great catalyst for aligning university curriculum with real-world industry needs.” 

That alignment was a key theme. Business leaders shared insights on the hard and soft skills they need. Fields like semiconductors, nuclear energy, water infrastructure, and aerospace are growing. But so is the need for communication skills, adaptability, and curiosity. Rosa Navejar of The Rios Group put it simply: “The job descriptions for future jobs haven’t been written yet.” 

To prepare for that uncertain future, industry needs to articulate its workforce needs more clearly and earlier, especially to those shaping university programs. Dean Peter Crouch of UTA College of Engineering stressed that engagement from business leaders is critical to keeping academic programs aligned with employer expectations. 

The conversation also touched on educating high school counselors and students about the wide range of career opportunities in engineering. As interest in computer science grows, traditional fields like electrical engineering are seeing declines in enrollment.