Committee formed

A Workforce Initiative Committee has been formed by the Odessa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to coordinate the efforts of various groups aimed at resolving Odessa’s workforce needs.

The committee is headed by Mario Contreras, chairman of the board of the Odessa His-panic Chamber of Commerce.

“We noticed there was a tremendous need for someone or some organization to coordinate what is going on in the community to address the workforce needs,” Contreras said.

In addition to Contreras, those who have agreed to serve on the Workforce Initiative Committee include Judy Hayes of Medical Center Hospital board, Medical Center Hospital CEO Bill Webster, Permian Basin Workforce Development Board Executive Director Willie Taylor, ECISD Interim Superintendent Hector Mendez, Odessa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Director Manny Puga, Odessa City Manager Richard Morton, Odessa City Councilman Michael Sanchez, CGM Consultant Robert Martinez, Raymond Chavez of Major Electric, Kathy Bellis of Penatek, Larry Harmon of Flint Hills Resources’ Human Resources Department and Greg Yoxsimer.

Contreras said the committee will work to discover and analyze the community’s real workforce needs, work with employers to identify the required workforce, integrate efforts with ECISD, Odessa College, UTPB, identify and delivery necessary curriculum, develop recruitment strategies based on the community’s needs and take advantage of one of the largest components of the Odessa community, its Hispanic populace.

Puga, Contreras and Art Leal noted that after the first meeting of the committee Monday, plans were mapped out to begin addressing the community’s workforce concerns.