Advisory Committees and Partnerships in the Permian Basin

This chapter benefits various individuals and organizations, including community colleges and programs leading to higher education and the workforce. Community colleges, workforce programs, business, and industry utilize advisory committees. Whether they meet in a formal or an informal setting, the benefit of their input is critical to program success. The workforce is strategic and innovative when it uses collaborative partnerships to provide individuals in communities with training and retraining to compete in a changing workforce. This information helps institutions use advisory committees to the fullest to bring about negotiations and partnerships to advance skills for workers. This chapter focuses on the role of advisory committees in workforce education. Those who can benefit from the information presented include committee development officers, business/industry professionals, administrators, and workforce-education specialists. The collaborative nature of the partnerships within workforce-education programs creates opportunities to benefit professionals in a variety of specializations.

Workforce Demands

Since the Permian Basin area requires a specific skillset, what can and is being done to find and retain those needed employees? Has anything been done to alleviate the continual issue of skilled worker shortages in the area? A critical shortage in skilled workers can be caused by retirement, youth moving to different areas, families relocating out of the area, lack of interest, and no training offered within a close proximity. A system that is working for employers and employees are partnerships. Employers today require specific skillsets resulting in business and industry partnering with high schools and community colleges to create skill-specific training. This chapter explores this phenomenon.

Challenges and Solutions

It is important to point out the challenges that are affecting the Permian Basin and offer some possible solutions. The lack of knowledge regarding the oilfield, long hours, demanding work, and extreme conditions may contribute to attrition. Offering some ideas and solutions may help companies and individuals retain and recruit individuals to the area. Forming mentorships for new employees, especially those from other countries, helps acclimate employees to the area. Communication is imperative in the oilfield because of safety and productivity. Many of these issues can begin with training provided through internships that have developed because of partnerships with companies and educators. This chapter explores these challenges and their solutions.

Oil and Gas Skill Complexity, Specializations, and Modernizations

This chapter highlights and shares personal interviews describing what individuals and companies are doing to retain and hire employees during challenging times in the Permian Basin. Personal experiences are described and shared including positive and negative experiences by seasoned oilfield employees and new oilfield employees with no prior experience. They share their knowledge regarding the current thriving economy in the Permian Basin. A diverse discussion is presented in order for the reader to get a full picture of the perspectives from oil and gas company administrators, individual workers, private sector businesses, and individuals living within the community.

Community College Partnerships and Training

As the Permian Basin area of West Texas experiences economic growth and employees are in high demand, specialized training is required in high-demand fields. Community colleges can develop and respond quickly to local workforce needs and create credit and non-credit programs. Community colleges provide opportunities through a variety of short programs and flexible schedules at low costs. Taking advantage of local partnerships to train students allows job training experience with the possibility of seamless placement after training. The community college acts as a pathway to provide comprehensive and relevant training that is streamlined to lead to current job placement in the community. This chapter explores this phenomenon.

Overview of Workforce Education and Current Economic Surge in Oil and Gas Industry

This chapter highlights workforce and technical training required by a demanding and growing need of oil and gas companies in the Permian Basin. The chapter focuses on the alignment of workforce training to develop specific skill sets, joining workers with companies, vendors, and community through workforce training. Paying particular attention to the challenges facing today's workforce, focusing on a growing and evolving workforce needs, and how to train and retrain to keep pace with those changes. The discussion includes a complex development and operation of workforce programs and how workforce education programs implement an industry-based training and support.