Texas' drilling boom has increased demand for skilled workers and blue-collar training. But as Dave Fehling of KUHF News reports for StateImpact Texas, the rising demand comes as community colleges face funding cuts, forcing companies to cope with fewer workers. Read the full story at StateImpact Texas.
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Comments (3)
David Spratt
Did all the Mexicans go home? Just give them an inside track and they will take over just like they did in every other area of construction. Illegal Aliens will work for half as much and there is never any shortage of them. After all , only around 45% of Americans are on the government dole now. There is still room for improvement to get the other 54% in on the action. We all have been told the 1% will support us all.
Vote for Obama , never have to work again and have all your wants and needs delivered right to your front door courtesy of the 1%.Just make sure you eat your vegetables!
visule
My son had to move from Dallas to Odessa to find a good welding program. A needed oil patch skill that is not offered by any of the Dallas community colleges. He is near the end of the 2 year training. Not too soon, since there are rumors that the school may close down welding due to the high cost to run it. They already closed machine shop. From what I can see, the instruction is fine and most students are satisfied with the class room instruction and curriculum. The issue is the back office admin reflects the government nature of public ed. They are not responsive enough to re-allocate resources that reflect todays job market. Private Vo-tech is not an answer due to the rip-off nature of that industry. I think the answer is that employers need to get in there and make investments in the work force by starting apprenticeships or underwriting programs such as welding in Odessa. Auto Manufacturers have been doing this for auto tech programs in Dallas.
Carol Morgan
This is more proof that our Texas Legislators do not do their research, set priorities, or consider the future effects of their legislation. This is such an example. Another example? They passed the transvaginal sonogram legislation and then announced that Odessa College might be a community college slated for closure; not knowing (I suppose) that Odessa College graduates more sonographers than any other community college in Texas.
Their failure to consider future employment trends will impact Texas economic climate in the future and then everyone will be wondering WHAT happened.
Of course, what they would like to have happen is to privatize all vocational training programs to "for profit" colleges. Many of legislators are bankrolled by those industries like the Apollo Group.
What's happened to our state?