Employment & Training Centers, Inc.

What Employment & Training Centers, Inc. does

Employment & Training Centers, Inc. (ETC, dba E.T.C.) is a privately held, Latina-owned staffing and HR solutions firm headquartered at 2000 Bering Dr., Suite 150, Houston, Texas, founded in 1986 by CEO Irma Diaz-Gonzalez. The company provides contract staffing, contract-to-hire, direct hire placement, payrolling/employer-of-record services, and broader HR and workforce-development support, holding WBE, MBE, SBE, DBE, and HUB certifications that position it for public-sector and diversity-mandated procurements. Its core differentiator is bilingual staffing capability across Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, and French, paired with deep roots in Houston's Hispanic community and 40 years of recruiting relationships.

The business operates a sales-led, direct-distribution model with dedicated account managers conducting onsite client engagement, supplemented by a Saashr-integrated self-serve job board for job seekers. Revenue is generated primarily on transaction-fee and managed-services bases: temporary contract billings, one-time direct-hire placement fees (with discounts on temp-to-hire conversions within 90 days), and managed payrolling where ETC acts as employer of record handling payroll, taxes, garnishments, and insurance at 100% compliance. The underlying technology stack combines a third-party ATS (Saashr) with newly introduced AI-assisted resume scanning and predictive hiring analytics that the company cites as reducing time-to-hire to 21 days versus a 34-day industry baseline.

ETC serves a diversified mix of public-sector clients (City of Houston, Harris County, State of Texas, Independent School Districts) and private-sector employers across healthcare, energy, civil engineering and infrastructure, construction, logistics, and bilingual commercial staffing. The company has operated within the Workforce Solutions network as an Employer Service contractor since 2002, partners with community colleges (notably Lone Star College) and nonprofits for candidate pipelines, and recently extended capabilities into renewable-energy technician placement. Family ownership under CEO Irma Diaz-Gonzalez, President Sofia Gonzalez, and EVP Roberto Gonzalez, combined with no disclosed external funding, anchors a steady, relationship-driven growth posture.

Name

Employment & Training Centers, Inc.

Legal name

Employment & Training Centers, Inc.

Website

https://etchouston.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Employment & Training Centers, Inc. is a Latina-owned, Houston-based bilingual staffing and HR solutions firm founded in 1986, providing contract, contract-to-hire, direct hire, and employer-of-record services to public-sector agencies and private employers across Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Staffing and HR Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Temporary Help Services (561320), Professional Employer Organizations (561330)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare) (BPACAFAC), Administrative, Clerical & Office Support Direct Hire (BPACAFAF), Construction & Real Estate Direct Hire (BPACAFAN)

Keywords

• Staffing services
• Bilingual recruitment
• Temporary placement
• Direct hire staffing
• Payroll management

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Contract Staffing: Short-term, temporary or part-time professional placements. Employers pay for staffing services to fill critical gaps or meet project goals on a temporary basis.
2. Contract to Hire: Short-term positions with opportunity to become full-time employees. Allows employers to evaluate fit before making permanent investment. Popular risk management tool for employers.
3. Direct Hire Placement: Permanent placement services where experts find candidates to join client teams permanently. One-time placement fee with guarantee.
4. Payrolling/Employer of Record Services: When employer selects candidate, ETC handles payroll, garnishments, taxes, insurance with 100% compliance. ETC acts as employer of record.
5. HR Solutions and Compliance Support: Full HR services including staffing legal guidance, payroll services, onboarding, 30-60-90 day reviews, performance coaching, and HR function management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Employment & Training Centers, Inc. (ETC) is a Houston-based staffing and HR solutions firm founded in 1986 that provides contract staffing, contract-to-hire, direct hire, and payrolling (employer of record) services to public agencies and private employers. The company specializes in bilingual candidate placement across Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, and French, and operates as a WBE/MBE/SBE/DBE/HUB-certified minority business. Its full-service suite spans pipeline generation, candidate screening, testing, onboarding, payroll, and HR compliance support.

Product overview

Employment & Training Centers, Inc. (ETC/E.T.C.) is a staffing and HR solutions firm operating since 1986. The company offers a unified suite of workforce services organized around bilingual staffing recruitment, candidate screening, contract/temp staffing, direct hire placement, and payroll management. Core offerings include Contract Staffing, Contract to Hire, Direct Hire, and Payrolling Services as the main engagement models, supplemented by job seeker career services and workforce development programs. The company specializes in bilingual placements across Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, French, and other languages, serving employers across Houston and Texas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contract Staffing Short-term, temporary, or part-time professional placements for employers needing to meet project goals or fill critical staffing gaps on a temporary basis.
• Contract to Hire Temporary staffing arrangement with an option to convert the placed worker to a full-time employee, allowing employers to evaluate fit before making a permanent hiring commitment.
• Direct Hire Permanent placement service in which ETC's recruiters find and place candidates directly with client organizations as full-time employees, typically billed as a one-time placement fee with a guarantee.
• Payrolling Services Employer of record service in which ETC handles payroll, garnishments, taxes, and insurance for candidates selected by the client, maintaining 100% compliance with applicable regulations.
• Bilingual Staffing, Recruitment & Payrolling Specialized full-cycle recruitment and payrolling service providing bilingual candidates (Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, French, and others) to employers with multilingual workforce needs.
• Job Seeker Services Career placement services that connect job seekers with employment opportunities, including resume review, phone screenings, in-person interviews, interview preparation, and job coaching.
• Workforce Development Workforce development offerings including Registered Apprenticeships, HR seminars, and customized Employer Service solutions delivered through the Workforce Solutions network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Time-to-hire reduced to 21 days using AI and staffing partners vs 34 days traditional internal methods
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• BakerRipleyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2025CEO Irma Diaz-Gonzalez appointed as Chairwoman of BakerRipley's Board of Directors for 2025. BakerRipley is one of Houston's largest nonprofit organizations providing social services, education and employment opportunities to thousands of low-income individuals. Partnership strengthens community impact and workforce development mission.
• Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC)coreOthersActive member and certified by HMSDC as part of minority supplier development network. Company holds MBE certification through this council.
• National Minority Supplier Development CouncilcoreOthersAwarded recognition and certification as a minority-owned business through NMSDC network.
• Lone Star CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive partnership with Lone Star College for workforce development, recruiting, and training pipeline. Company has been part of Workforce Solutions network since 2002.
• Greater Houston PartnershipcoreOthersActive member of Greater Houston Partnership, the region's leading economic development organization. Participates in business development and community initiatives.
• Houston Hispanic Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing membership and leadership. CEO Irma Diaz-Gonzalez served as Chair Emeritus for over 20 years, advancing economic opportunities for Hispanic businesses.
• Port of HoustoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerActive member of Port of Houston business community, supporting workforce needs for the region's major economic engine.
• National Association of Workforce Development ProfessionalsminorOthersProfessional membership for workforce development professionals, maintaining credentials and industry best practices.
• Illinois Migrant CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit dedicated to assisting migrant and seasonal farm workers. CEO Irma Diaz-Gonzalez began her career here before founding ETC.
• Memorial Hermann Children's HospitalminorOthersCEO Irma Diaz-Gonzalez serves as Lifetime Board Member, supporting healthcare initiatives for children.
• Amegy BankminorOthersCEO Irma Diaz-Gonzalez serves on Board of Advisors, providing strategic insight to one of Houston's leading financial institutions.
• Mi Familia VotaminorOthersCEO Irma Diaz-Gonzalez serves as Chair of this national organization focused on building Latino political power and civic engagement.
• Local Universities and Community CollegescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local universities and community colleges to source candidates and build training pipelines. Part of recruiting strategy to find qualified talent.
• Nonprofit OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with local nonprofit organizations as part of recruiting strategy to source diverse candidates and support community workforce development.
• Workforce Solutions NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany has been part of the Workforce Solutions network since 2002, serving as Employer Service contractor providing companies with customized solutions through Registered Apprenticeships and HR seminars.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Adecco Group: Global staffing leader providing temporary staffing, permanent placement, and career transition services. Comparable service portfolio (temp, contract-to-hire, direct hire) but at much larger scale and international scope.
• ManpowerGroup: Global staffing and workforce solutions provider with significant temporary staffing, direct hire, and managed services offerings. Comparable core services though at vastly larger scale and global geographic footprint.
• Robert Half International: National staffing and consulting firm specializing in professional, finance, technology, and administrative placements. Comparable in offering contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire placement services, though operating at far greater scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Kelly Services: Global workforce solutions provider offering temporary staffing, direct hire, and payrolling/EOR across professional and industrial segments. Comparable in service mix (temp, contract-to-hire, direct hire, payroll services), though at much larger scale.

Regional players

• PrideStaff: Staffing franchise with strong Texas/Houston presence offering administrative, industrial, and professional placements. Comparable in service mix and regional employer focus, though broader in occupational coverage.
• Burnett Specialists / Burnett's Staffing: Houston-headquartered staffing firm providing direct hire, contract, temp, and payrolling services across administrative, professional, and technical roles. Highly comparable as a Houston/Texas-based regional staffing competitor with similar service portfolio and customer base.

Direct peers

• Express Employment Professionals: Large staffing franchise providing contract, temp-to-hire, and direct hire placement across administrative, professional, and industrial roles. Closely comparable as a multi-service staffing firm serving SMB and mid-market employers, with similar engagement models to ETC.
• Insight Global: Large U.S. staffing firm placing professionals in IT, engineering, healthcare, and skilled trades via contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire models. Direct comparable to ETC's contract staffing and technical professional placement offerings.
• Kforce Inc. U.S. staffing firm focused on professional and technical placements in technology, finance, and engineering. Comparable in serving engineering and technical professional verticals with contract and direct hire engagement models.

Others

• Workforce Solutions (Houston/Gulf Coast): Regional workforce development board operating the publicly-funded Workforce Solutions network in the Houston/Gulf Coast region. Comparable as ETC has been an Employer Service contractor within this network since 2002 — adjacent ecosystem participant that both refers candidates and competes for employer relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/etchouston
• Facebookfacebook.com/houetc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/employment-and-training-centers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Employment & Training Centers, Inc.