Economic development projects throughout New Mexico and Dona Ana County- prioritize job creation- That’s usually done by convincing out of state companies to move in, set up and bring jobs with them. But that might be putting the horse before the cart. Companies operating in the region say they can’t find enough capable workers. Simon Thompson went to a Job to Career Readiness Boot Camp to report on what is being done to improve the quality of Dona Ana County’s workforce.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI38naIaQDs&feature=youtu.be
About 60 job seekers of all ages showed up for the Jobs to career readiness boot camp at Dona Ana Community College in Las Cruces most of them young people all looking to improve their employment prospects.
Taking notes in the front row is twenty two year old Dona Ana Community College student Justin Perez. He already works as an assistant manager at a Family Dollar convenience store in Las Cruces. Perez says the job’s paying his bills and he’s getting by, but it’s not offering him anything in the way of professional career opportunities.
“I have always wanted a little bit more, I kind of how I dress, I always dreamed of having my job. I wanted to wear a suit and tie, I wanted to work in a office- or corporation a really big business” Perez said.
Perez says he hasn’t had any luck getting hired on with any companies offering the kinds of jobs his heart is set on. Perez says he is hoping the Jobs to Career readiness boot camp will allow him to maximize his chances.
"I kind of consider my self an under dog, its like I have not been given a lot of chances with professional business just because I lack experience” Perez said.
At 6.6 percent Dona Ana County’s January unemployment rate was about a percentage point higher than the national average of 5.7 percent. It could be said that Dona County job seekers like Justin Perez have it a little bit harder than most Americans.
But Dona Ana Community College Director of Career services Rosa Burmeister said there are in fact a lot of skilled job opportunities in the county. She says companies are telling her most job seekers applying don’t even possess the basic skills required.
That’s why Burmeister joined partners, including the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance, in creating the Jobs to Career readiness boot camp.
“We had about 5 companies that had 1000 jobs that we needed to fill and said the work force wasn’t prepared so we took this on" Burmeister said.
New Mexico Workforce Solutions data shows there were 4,473 job vacancies in the county in Febuary 2014. Many of them in skilled areas such as public administration, manufacturing and finance.
Burmeister works one on one with boot camp attendees she said it is often a case that applicants actually have the technical skills but fall down on the basics like- filling out applications, showing up on time and passing a drug screening.
"We are going to teach them a soft skills work ethic values, how to work in teams, how to do I dress how do I show up, how my resume , what is the best way to show case my self on paper, how to introduce your self to the employers” Burmeister said
This all presents a major problem for Davin Lopez. As CEO of the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance or MVEDA, it is Lopez’s job to bring new businesses and jobs in the region usually by convincing out of state companies to set up operations in Dona Ana County. Lopez said companies considering the region often pass it up because of labor shortages.
“Unfortunately it is a little bit the reality of the work force that we are dealing with. When companies are making decisions to locate in other areas of the country work force comes to the highest degree of decision making and they move to an area because they are looking for a ready willing skill set that they can tap into here or where ever they choose to go” Lopez said.
Justin Perez says most of what the boot camp covered was just common sense and basic etiquette he acknowledges that there are some areas where he needs to improve but more than anything it has given him a clearer pathway to achieving his professional goals as he works toward graduation.
“I just know what I want to do and I know that I know I can do it. I just need stepping stones along the way” Perez said
Davin Lopez said the Jobs to Career Readiness Boot Camp is aimed squarely at addressing the region’s work force issues. He says those issues present the biggest obstacle to attracting high skill employers and economic development.
