SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO LABOR POOL

In 2008 Southwest New Mexico had a combined labor force of 29,956, of which 2,224 were unemployed.  A table of the four-county labor force is shown at below

A 2004 workforce study for the region determined that residents commute to their place of employment between these four counties.

Average weekly wages for the counties compared to the State were as follows for the fourth quarter of 2008:

          Catron County: $523

          Grant County: $649

          Hidalgo County: $705

          Luna County: $577

          New Mexico: $768

Source: New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS)

Additional workforce data is available in the Workforce section of this website.

Workforce Training

Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP)

New Mexico is home to one of the nation’s most lucrative and aggressive training reimbursement programs.  JTIP funds classroom and on-the-job training for newly created jobs in qualified companies.  The program reimburses 50 to 70 percent of employees’ wages during the training period, which can last up to six months.   Customized training at a New Mexico educational institution may also be covered. 

Western New Mexico University (WNMU)

WNMU provides regional workforce training through a variety of programs designed to meet individual needs.  WNMU is a leading service provider in the region for the important New Mexico Works Program.  Since 2004, 1,073 people have been placed in full or part time work.  On average, 350-400 people are served each month from Grant, Luna, Sierra, Hidalgo and Dona Ana Counties.  WNMU’s Adult Education Services (AES) program serves as a model for the State.  In the past several years, on average 1,000 individuals per year availed themselves of education services provided by the AES program.  Of these, 213 have completed the GED college prep program, 308 students received computer-based training, 94 completed English as a Second Language (ESL), and 5 students received citizenship instruction. 

WNMU offers considerable job-specific training and education opportunities.  As the region’s community college, WNMU offers several associate degrees, and certificate programs are provided in Health Sciences, Applied Technology, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice, Information Technology, Economic Development and Early Childhood Education.  In addition, Certified Nursing Assistant and Bachelor of Science in Nursing are also offered at WNMU.  WNMU is particularly proud of the 2-year Nursing and Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs that rank among the best in the United States.

Workforce Availability

In 2004 Silver City commissioned a study by The Pathfinders which included extensive surveying of workers in the four-county area.  The report quantified a “pool of 6,250 potentially available workers who have indicated an interest in changing jobs.”  Further, “those workers possess the skills, experience, and education to qualify them for the pay rates at which they would take new jobs, thus the definition “underemployed.”  Of these underemployed workers, 2,800 would change jobs for $10.99 per hour or less and 50 percent of them would take a new job for $12.40 per hour or less. 

The pie chart below shows the education levels of the workers in the study.  The average age of the workers was 36.9 years.  The gender of those surveyed was almost evenly divided: 49 percent male and 51 percent female.

A spreadsheet with more detailed data of all the findings in the study can be downloaded here. (Pathfinders)

In addition to telephone surveying of workers, Pathfinders conducted interviews with senior management and human resources professionals from companies located in the region.  Each of these companies operated in the industrial, commercial, or service sectors.  In these interviews the Southwestern New Mexico area workforce received high marks for productivity.  Many of the companies interviewed stated that their local operations compared equally with operations in other locations in terms of profitability and production.  Absenteeism was judged to be low.  Most of the companies reported turnover to be low to moderate.

Update

Since the 2004 Pathfinders study several business closures and current down-sizing in the mining industry are rapidly increasing the available labor pool in Southwest New Mexico.  More than 1,000 workers have lost their jobs in the past 12 months ago.   

Western New Mexico University will work closely with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions to identify the available workforce for new industry considering a location in Southwest New Mexico.  This has been accomplished very successfully in the past by holding labor fairs, the use of blind advertising and other methods.