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Odessa job market one of nation’s
strongest
BY BILL
MODISETT, The Odessa American
2007-12-11 00:01:00
Odessa’s job
market climbed to the sixth strongest in the nation in the
Manpower Employment Quarterly Outlook Survey released today —
something that may cause some local employers to have higher hopes
of finding needed workers.
In fact, the survey indicated area employers will hire at a
booming pace.
David Boutin, chairman of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, said the
high ranking of the local economy “certainly is an indication that
a lot of good things are happening to a lot of good people in our
community.
“It also should perpetuate the interest that a lot of companies
have shown in Odessa over the past few years,” he said.
Boutin noted that the national recognition should serve to calm
the fears of some people who may have thought of moving to Odessa,
but didn’t because they were concerned about the strength of the
local economy.
“There’s a likelihood that some might make the decision to come
here and join the workforce now,” Boutin said.
Willie Taylor, executive director of the Permian Basin Workforce
Development Board, agreed.
“Anytime we get a rating like this, it’s telling us our economy is
very, very strong,” he said.
That bodes well for the future of the Odessa region, Taylor said.
“We expect great times in the Permian Basin. When you’re rated No.
6, it’s telling you there are good, solid wages out here,” he
said.
Odessa was tied with Ulster County, N.Y., for the No. 6 slot.
“For the fourth quarter of 2007, 45 percent of the companies
interviewed intended to add employees, and none planned to reduce
staff levels,” Melani Payne, a spokeswoman for the survey in
Manpower’s Odessa office, said.
A year ago, 33 percent of companies surveyed planned to raise
staff levels and 13 percent expected to trim their payrolls.
“Employers expect much more hiring compared to a year ago,” she
said.
MANPOWER 10
STRONGEST SURVEY AREAS:
>> 1. Fresno, Calif.
>> 2. Sioux Falls, S.D.
>> 3. Everett-Lynnwood, Wash.
>> 4. Annapolis, Md.
>> 5. Decatur, Ala., as well as Scranton, Penn.
>> 6. Odessa as well as Ulster County, N.Y.
>> 7. Durham, N.C.
>> 8. Manhattan-Junction City, Kan.
>> 9. El Paso, Cleveland and Gaston Counties, N.C., as well as
Florence, Ala.
>> 10. San Rafael, Calif., and Springfield, Mass., and Shreveport,
La.
Wild Horse and
Burro Adoption Heading to Odessa, TX!
Nov.
1-3, 2007!
The U.S. Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) will hold a wild horse and burro adoption
in Odessa, Texas, Nov. 1-3, 2007. The three-day event at the Ector
County Coliseum will feature over 90 spectacular animals – adult and
yearling horses and burros that
once roamed free on public lands in the West. The BLM periodically
removes excess animals from the range in order to ensure herd health
and to maintain balance among the many public uses of the land. The
adoption program is essential for preserving these “living
legends.”
Adoption Schedule
Preview
all of the animals Thursday, Nov. 1, from 4 – 6 p.m. Gates reopen
Friday, Nov. 2, at 8 a.m., with adoptions starting at 10 a.m. and
ending at 6 p.m. Adoptions continue Saturday, Nov. 3, from 8 a.m. –
noon.
Adoption Qualifications
Application approval is required and can be done on site. To qualify
to adopt, one must be at least 18 with no record of animal abuse.
Adopters must have suitable facilities and can adopt no more than
four animals. All animals must be loaded in covered stock-type
trailers with sturdy walls and floors – no drop ramp trailers. BLM
staff will be on hand to assist adopters through the short
application process.
Adoption Fees
The
minimum adoption fee, set by law, is $125 per animal to qualified
adopters. An initial round of
competitive bidding will take place Friday at 10 a.m. to determine
the adoption fees for those animals that are sought by more than one
person. Following the single round of bidding Friday morning,
walkup adoptions will be processed for $125 on a
first-come-first-served basis for the rest of the weekend.
Those interested in
taking part in the competitive bid adoption are encouraged to come
Thursday afternoon or early Friday to select their desired animals
and to complete their adoption applications in time.
Wild horses and
burros are renowned for their strength, endurance, agility, and
intelligence – characteristics bred into them in the wild which make
them ideal for work or recreation. Since 1973, the BLM has placed
more than 217,000 animals in approved homes across the country.
For more information, call toll-free 1-866-4-MUSTANGS or visit
www.nm.blm.gov
(select Wild Horse and Burro under Quick Links).
Directions to
the Ector County Coliseum & Expo Center:
From I-20 take East Loop 338. Go north to 42nd St. (Hwy
191) turn left on 42nd St. The coliseum is at that corner
of 42nd St. and Andrews Highway (Hwy 385).
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