Energizing Economic Recovery with Employment in the Energy Industry

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As published in the Las Cruces Sun-News, December 2020

New Mexico is a state in transition in one of its major industry sectors: Energy. 

Unlike the southeastern part of the state, Doña Ana County’s contribution to the Energy Industry has been more reliant on other sources: traditional electric and natural gas, along with the growing renewable sectors of wind and solar. 

Understanding the workforce needs of this sector holistically will be critical to the employability of workers and the expansion of this industry, especially as the New Mexico Energy Transition Act is implemented between now and 2045. In fact, New Mexico State University is a major player in the “Electrification” of New Mexico that will be part of this transition.

With that in mind, The Bridge of Southern New Mexico convened employers (diverse in generation source and the size of their workforce) to form an industry-specific roundtable to gain a broader understanding of the workforce needs of the Energy sector in our region. Members of the Energy Industry Roundtable included representatives of El Paso Electric, New Mexico Gas Company, Macho Springs Wind Farm (Deming), and Organ Mountain Solar. 

What we found is that jobs in this industry pay from $36,000 to $75,000, on average, and offer a robust set of family-sustaining benefits. In fact, El Paso Electric is seeing a large number of long-term employees retire, and replacing those workers with young, not-as-experienced talent is a challenge.

It is because experience matters to this industry, that work-and-learn opportunities offer huge benefits to prospective candidates and employers alike. One example is Doña Ana Community College’s Lineworker Program with El Paso Electric, which hires great numbers of those well-prepared graduates who receive both classroom and hands-on training. 

For those who are currently pursuing their education, whether in high school, community college or university, the Roundtable highlighted the academic credentials most valued in the Energy Industry, upon which they can build experience. The top four-year degrees include:

  • Science (electrical)
  • Engineering
  • Computer Science (programmable logic)
  • Business Administration
  • Accountants
  • Marketing Advertising
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Technical
  • Sales

The most requested associate degrees are:

  • Science (electrical)
  • Technical Sales
  • Computer Science (programmable logic)
  • Business Administration
  • Liberal Arts
  • System and Operations Management

The most highly valued trade and skill certifications include:

  • Wind technician
  • Lineworker
  • Journeyman Gas Fitter License
  • Electrician
  • High Voltage (345 kV)
  • Welding
  • Computer Science (programmable logic)
  • Professional Certificates (like IT and Human Resources and others)
  • Technical Sales
  • Administrative Assistant

There are also job opportunities for those without degrees, but have a high school diploma or GED:

  • Wind technician
  • Lineworker Apprenticeship
  • Crewman
  • Entry Level System Installer
  • Business Coordinator (Administrative Aide)
  • Clerk
  • Service Tech
  • Technical Sales
  • Operations Center Coordinator
  • Customer Service

Because employers place a high value on real-world experience, those with transferrable skills who may have been displaced by COVID shutdowns, may be able to transition into this industry by re-skilling (a little skill-specific training for this industry) or up-skilling (growing your existing skills). Those from well-aligned industries who may have a good foundation of skills upon which to build include:

  • Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
  • Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
  • Construction
  • Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • Business and Financial Operations Occupations

To learn more about the Energy Industry and to view the full report on what skills, credentials, and experiences are valued by Energy employers, visit NewMexicoTrueTalent.org and click on the Career Pathways tab. You can also explore other resources and opportunities on our new YouTube Channel, New Mexico True Talent Presents.

Connecting people to the available academic and economic opportunities in our community will support the long-term economic wellbeing and prosperity of our families and community. That’s been the unwavering goal of The Bridge of Southern New Mexico long before COVID hit. We hope that by shining an even brighter light on these opportunities, we’re helping light the path our people can follow.