West Texas Energy Consortium Awarded for Outreach Efforts

Recently, the West Texas Energy Consortium (WTxEC) received the “Industry Sector Outreach Award” from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) at the Annual State Conference in Grapevine.

Honoring significant workforce efforts in targeted occupations and positive impacts made to employers, the award includes a $30,000 endowment and recognizes the success experienced in just one short year with the consortium’s exceptional, integrated approach.

“The work accomplished under this unique partnership is to be commended,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “The West Texas region’s employers have benefited tremendously from a well-trained workforce, and these communities are demonstrating how successful economic development is done with an entrepreneurial Texas spirit.”

Embracing a need for collaboration in order to meet unmatched demands experienced in wake of the rapidly growing energy sector, the West Texas Energy Consortium was officially formed in 2013 by three local workforce boards in the Permian Basin, Concho Valley, and West Central Texas areas.  This was an unprecedented effort to address growing workforce needs as well as other key topics including infrastructure, emergency response, and community development.

“The Consortium has been an excellent vehicle in bringing energy employers together with our workforce and economic development groups to help in tackling our labor force needs, shortages and opportunities,” noted Concho Valley Workforce Board Chairman Phil Neighbors, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Texas Association of Workforce Boards.

In addition to tackling workforce woes such as labor pool shortages, employer training needs, and employee retention in competing sectors, the WTxEC has also launched a training cooperative to support local board efforts in response to rising demand. This includes a regional welding certificate among seven local community colleges, Regional Advisory Council, and Regional Centers of Excellence. Beyond workforce, the Consortium is also working to equip localities with the information and tools necessary for disaster preparedness and emergency response in oilfield-affected areas.

For more information on upcoming projects, meetings, and events please visit www.wtxec.org or contact our staff at 325-795-4206/[email protected].