Creative Collaborations Keep the Pipeline Flowing in Lea County, NM
Sponsored by: The Economic Development Corporation of Lea County
Oil and natural gas reserves aren’t the only abundant resources in Lea County. “Collaboration is in our DNA,” says Jennifer Grassham, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Lea County. “People in our community genuinely like working with one another.”
One way that collaborative spirit pays off for businesses is in workforce development, including a unique partnership between the Career and Technical Education Center (CTECH) at Hobbs Municipal Schools and the workforce development programs of New Mexico Junior College (NMJC). CTECH prepares high school students for technical careers in six certification-based career training pathways. After taking introductory courses there, students may choose to move on to NMJC for intermediate and advanced training, leading to industry-recognized certifications and good-paying jobs close to home.
“Everything we do here is driven by advisory boards and our community,” says Steve Sauceda, vice president for workforce development at NMJC. “We meet with subject matter experts in industry, asking them what they need. We want to offer programs that give our students opportunities for jobs right here, and that meet the needs of our industries.”
Sauceda says NMJC was at the table as CTECH was being developed, and his teams visit there frequently to educate students about career pathways available. “We bring CTECH students to our campus as well,” he says, “letting them go out on the oil and gas training grounds, or get in the CDL simulator or go through the automation lab.”
Kristy Hughes, community relations and work-based learning coordinator for CTECH, says about half of its teachers come from industry. “It’s a great balance,” she says. “Our students find such value in that, because these instructors are providing real-world experience.
“Ultimately, our goal is first to graduate a student, and then for that student to have the skills and the opportunity to get a good job within our community. The collaboration we have built within our community sets us apart. Across the board, relationships are really what we’re about, and that helps our students and businesses succeed.”
To learn more, visit edclc.org, ctech.hobbsschools.net or nmjc.edu.
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