New Mexico, a Sustainability State

The State of New Mexico partners with public and private entities in the New Mexico Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development Initiative or New Mexico WIRED.

The goals of this strong initiative center on the desire to stimulate entrepreneurship (small and large businesses), to advance the a technically trained workforce, and to promote a public policy that actively and visibly rewards innovative ideas and implementation.

New Mexco WIRED is supported by US federal funding to join business, national laboratories (Los Alamos and others), investors, economic developers, educational facilities workforce development agencies, and governmental departments for success in economic growth and increasing quality of life in New Mexico..

All of these organizations copperate for thje common goal of ensuring all New Mexicans a first-class education and workforce training, with high-quality well paying green collar jobs in the Sustainability Industry. New Mexico offers a very interesting array of fast growing jobs and industries. Forest Service and Environmental Engineering jobs are readily available and expanding in numbers in this state.

Highest Demand Jobs

1. Sales-related Jobs: Sales Managers, Insurance Agents, Store Managers, Retail Salespeople, other
2. Engineers, all fields
3. Physical and Occupational Therapists
4. Registered Nurses
5. Physical Therapy Assistants
6. Restaurant Jobs: Crew and Managers
7. Oil & Natural Gas Jobs
8. Truck Drivers

Jobs increased to January 2012 and held steady, with another increase in June 2012 held relatively steady through to March 2013. Impressive job increases occurred in 2014, with a delcine in early 2015, followed by a new increase in March 2015.

The graph above shows steady increase with an upward sweeping curve.

Largest Employers and Number Employed Yearly.

1. UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO 12,000+
2. PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL 8,000
3. LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY 7,200+
4. UNIVERSITY PLASTIC SURGERY 5,500
5. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 5,000
6. LOVELACE HEALTH SYSTEMS 5,000
7. INTEL CORPORATION 3,600
8. ALBUQUERQUE INTL SUNPORT [ABQ] 3,000
9. UNIVERSITY of NM HEALTH SCIENCES 3,000
10. NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY 2,800

The following jobs are listed, along with the percentage increase that they are expected top demonstrate. The top 10 represent a variety of services on the upswing.

1. Computer Software Applications Engineers 59.1%
2. Personal & Home Care Aides 58.0%
3. Home Health Aides (HHAs) 48.8%
4. Corrections Officers 33.0%
5. Medical Assistants 30.7%
6. Elementary School Teachers - Mainstream and Special Education 28.1%
7. Law Enforcement Patrol Officers 27.2%
8. Customer Service Representatives 26.8%
9. All Food Preparation & Servers 26.6%
10. Social & Human Service Assistants 25.6%
11. Middle School Teachers - Mainstream and Special Education 25.6%
12. Registered Nurses (RNs) 23.7%
13. Accountants & Auditors 19.8% - Includes Forensic Accounting.
14. Secondary School Teachers - Mainstream and Special Education 19.3%
15. Nursing Aides and related jobs 19.1%
16. Restaurant Cooks 18.3%
17. Child Care jobs 18.0%
18. Wait Staff 16.6%
19. Executive Secretaries & Admin. Assts 16.4%
20. Retail Salespersons 15.4%
21. Janitors & Industrial Cleaners 15.3%
22. Receptionists 14.3%
23. Security Guards 14.0%
24. General Office Clerks 13.8%

All of the Top 20 Fastest-Growing Jobs in New Mexico are in

• Healthcare and Information Technology (IT/computers).

Job titles at Numbers 14 and 15 in Forensics and Veterinary Care are also health related and may offer IT jobs as well. Through 2017, the industries to watch are

• Healthcare & Social Services,
• Educational Services,
• Travel & Tourism, and
• Retail Trade.

Many of the Top 20 Jobs require only short-term on the job training (OJT) after high school or GED attainment, or a 2-year associates degree. A few of these jobs require moderate lengths of OJT. A few others require a Bachelor's or higher academic degree.

Workers can begin employment in a job that requires OJT and work their way up through education and training opportunities associated with their jobs and employers, especially in Healthcare and often in the IT Industry as well. Major hospitals and universities often provide tuition waiver or reimbursement for their employees, a good option for workers wanting to break into IT or Healthcare and move up from an entry level position.

A number of the Largest 20 Employers in New Mexico are medical centers and universities that have medical centers on campus.

Large government related employers and vendors on the list offer IT opportunities. Many openings with large employers are in the hospitality and service industries, as well as janitorial and housekeeping, as shown in the Top 10 Jobs that Offer the Highest Number of Openings in New Mexico (see chart below).

Renewable Energy is becoming a productive business opportunity and avenue for Green-Collar Jobs or Green Jobs in Arizona. Arizona renewable energy takes the form of active and passive solar, photovoltaic hydrogen, and wind energy. New Mexico also offers Solar Tax Credits, a Hybrid Tax Exemption and a Sustainable Building Tax Credit.

Native American Nations in New Mexico own numerous resort-class hotels and other businesses that offer job openings to Native and non-Native peoples.

The Nations need healthcare and social services workers of various education levels as well. Some of these positions are offered on federal and state job search sites

Tribal-owned Resorts in New Mexico

Jicarilla Apache Tribe

• Best Western Jicarilla Inn - US Highway 64; Dulce, NM 87528; Phone 505-759-3777

Mescalero Apache Tribe

• Casino Apache Travel Center - 25845 US Highway 70; Mescalero, NM 88340; Phone (800) 545-9011
  
• Inn of the Mountain Gods - 287 Carrizo Canyon Road; Mescalero , NM 88340; Phone (800) 545-9011

Pueblo of Acoma
Pueblo of Isleta

• Palace West - State Road 45; Isleta, NM 87105 -- At the Y. intersection of Coors & Isleta Road; Phone 505-869-4102

Pueblo of Laguna
Pueblo of Pojoaque

College and High School Sports Teams

• New Mexico Lobos - Albuquerque
• New Mexico State Aggies - Las Cruces
• Western New Mexico Mustangs - Silver City

League Sports

• New Mexico Scorpions (WPHL) - Albuquerque
• Phoenix Mercury - WNBA

Higher Education Options in New Mexico

• Central New Mexico Community College: Albuquerque NM
• Clovis Community College: Clovis, NM
• College of Santa Fe: Santa Fe, Albuquerque
• College of the Southwest: Hobbs, Carlsbad
• Dine College: Located at Shiprock, Crownpoint, with many other centers in Arizona
• Eastern New Mexico University
• Institute of American Indian Arts: Santa Fe NM
• Luna Community College: Las Vegas, NM
• Mesalands Community College: Tucumcari
• New Mexico Highlands University: Las Vegas, NM
• New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology: Socorro
• New Mexico Junior College: Hobbs
• New Mexico Military Institute: Roswell
• New Mexico State University: Las Cruces (Main Campus), Carlsbad, Alamogordo
• Doña Ana Branch Community College: also White Sands, Gadsden, Sunland Park
• Northern New Mexico College: Espanola, NM
• San Juan College: Farmington NM
• Santa Fe Community College: Santa Fe
• Southwestern College: Santa Fe
• Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute: Albuquerque
• St. John's College: Santa Fe, also Annapolis MD
• University of New Mexico: Albuquerque (Main Campus)
• Wayland Baptist University: Albuguerque, Clovis
• Western New Mexico University: Silver City