Odessa is mid-way between the metro areas of El Paso and Fort Worth, Texas. This particular region is the very center of the famous Permian Basin, a geological range that is considered a classic world-class sedimentary and petroleum basin. The basin covers a range of 250 by 300 miles at it's widest points and over 60,000 square miles. Odessa and Midland, Texas are Oil & Gas leaders in the basin.

Studens and scientists from the University of Texas at Odessa, from around Texas, and from around the world come to The Permian Basin to study its geological structures and history as well as paleontology and related sciences. As the ancient Permian Sea dried up, it left behind its sea life - plants and animals - that creates large expanses of the oil we use today, discovered about 1926 during the Roaring Twenties. The roar in the Permian Basin was made by oila nd gas machinery.

In the 21st Century, Big Oil & Gas are joined by Healthcare as major industries contributing to the local economy. Retail Trade is also valuable, since companies like Family Dollar Stores built headquaters in Odessa (2003).

The Comanche Nation lived in the Permian Basin for many years until American railroads began to come through in 1881. In fact, the Texas and Pacific Railway built across the Odessa area because of the water resources needed for its steam engines.

In the late 1870s - early 1880s, land around Odessa was very inexpensive and settlers began to arrive. Ranching began in earnest in 1885 and the Texas and Pacific railroad assisted with transporting ranchers' cattle in place of the old "trail drives" featured in old TV shows like Rawhide with Clint Eastwood, 1959 - 1966. Today, some trail drives are still sponsored as a tourist experience, but are real drives taking cattle to market.

Even though the 3,000 head of cattle on Rawhide started out east of Odessa at San Antonio, the show gives a pretty fair picture of the trail drive of the Old West.

The following list make up the top job listings in Odessa Texas on Internet Search engines, company HR webpages, and websites of employment recruiters in July 2009. Checks these position titles with the two columns of government-projected employment trends further below. 

1. Phsycians/Doctors
2. Staff Pharmacists
3. Physical Therapists
4. Assistant Managers
5. Assistant Store Managers
6. Wireless Technician III
7. Clinical Staff Pharmacists
8. Independent Sales Representatives
9. Occupational Therapists
10. Pizza Hut Delivery Drivers

Five out of 10 (50%) of the Top 10 Job Listings are in Healthcare. All five require advanced training and certifcation beyond high school. Some require professional school after the 4-year bachelors degree.

Further top job listings include:

1. Retail Store Managers
2. Team Members – Casual Dining
3. Sales Representatives
4. Nurses – RNs, LPNs, LVNs - Healthcare. Can require anywhere from 1 year to 4-years of trainnig beyind high school, and graduate school for MSNs and PhD Nurses.

1. Personal and Home Care Aides
2. Mainstream Elementary School Teachers
3. Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
4. Retail Salespersons
5. Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
6. Registered Nurses (RNs) - Appears in actual job listings May - September 2009.
7. Customer Service Representatives
8. Child Care Workers
9. Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer
10. Office Clerks, General
11. Waitstaff - Casual and Fine Dining
12. Janitors/Cleaners, except Housekeepers
13. Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining
14. Mainstream Secondary School Teachers
15. Mainstream Middle School Teachers
16. Construction Laborers
17. Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Before the Stimulus Package of 2009 was compiled and distributed, Odessa was one out of only 9 of a total 311 metro areas with existing data that showed a yearly jobs gain in construction and related positions. In fact, Odessa was 3rd on the list with a 5% increase in such jobs before the ARRA Stimulus Package was available. Stimulus funds are expected to boost this continuing increase higher from 2009 - 2012. A new Forensic Center is a possibility in these ventures, creating construction and criminal science jobs.

The City of Odessa also received $3.9 Million to use for improving transporation. It is targeted to purchase 12 new city buses, support vehicles, support equipment, fare collection equipment, route signs, bus shelters, communications equipment; and to pay for preventive maintenance.

• The University of Texas of the Permian Basin - Provides curricula for earth sciences degrees and occupations near the classic petroleum basin. Dozens of undergraduate majors include Envornmental Science, so important in the 21st Century; Leadership Studies, vital as well; and others. Ten graduate fields are also provided.
• American Commercial College
• Odessa College
• Southeastern Career Institute - in nearby Midland.
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center - Permian Basin Campus

Teaching Hospitals and Healthcare Services

• Medical Center Hospital
• Odessa Regional Medical Center
• Regency Hospital of Odessa