El Paso Electric gives $20K grant to Bridge to promote website

Helping people get back to work in living-wage jobs is vital to the economic recovery of individuals, families and communities of New Mexico. Thanks to the El Paso Electric’s Community Partner Program, a new campaign will help build awareness for some of the best career opportunities in Doña Ana County.

A $20,000 grant to The Bridge of Southern New Mexico (TBSNM) will fund a multi-media communications campaign to promote the NewMexicoTrueTalent.org website and mobile app that can point county residents to some of the best local career options, as well as how to find and fund education and training to prepare for those careers.

Many of the top careers are in eight industries vital to the economic recovery and growth of the county: healthcare; aerospace; defense; digital media; value-added agriculture; transportation and logistics; advanced manufacturing; and energy.

Despite the pandemic, these jobs have been growing. Workers who’ve been displaced by Covid and want to enter these industries may already have the top skills employers are looking for: customer service; problem solving; interpersonal skills; flexibility; time management; self-motivated; conflict management; attention to detail; and math skills.

NewMexicoTrueTalent.org is a one-stop location for access to free information and resources, including what skills, experience and credentials local employers in these industries are looking for, as well as links to education and workforce services for those who may need to gain new skills. The site has both fully mapped career pathways, as well as links to career exploration resources for those looking to see what careers may suit them best.

“We are so grateful to El Paso Electric for funding this communications effort specifically targeted to helping our community get back to work in careers here in our community now and for years to come,” said Debbi Moore, president and CEO of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce and chair of TBSNM board of directors. “We specifically created NewMexicoTrueTalent.org to show people exactly where to find great careers and, if they need, how to prepare for them.”

NewMexicoTrueTalent.org is a project of TBSNM and Workforce Talent Collaborative and was funded by grants and donations from local employers, including the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Daniels Fund, the Union Pacific Foundation, US Bank, El Paso Electric, Mountainview Regional Medical Center, Doña Ana Community College, Virgin Galactic and the United Way of Southwestern New Mexico.

TBSNM leads the conversations that are driving educational and economic success for young people by understanding that student success can happen at many levels – starting with high school graduation and continuing into career-certifications, two-year, four-year and post-graduate college degrees. This innovative, business-led collaborative unites top educational leaders in Doña Ana County (the Las Cruces, Gadsden and Hatch school districts, Doña Ana Community College and New Mexico State University) with business, economic development and government leaders to literally bridge the skills and knowledge gaps between education and career readiness for students.

Visit www.thebridgeofsnm.org.