El Paso losing, not gaining Skilled Workers (Houston, Horizon City: spring break, how much)

[lipbalm]

I am all for taking care of your family, but sometimes that means leaving your comfort zone in order to provide your family with better opportunities.

[holmes]

I can understand people's greater sense of family here in El Paso as that was part of my reason for coming back. However there's no way I would have ever come back if there weren't jobs that supported the type of work I got a degree in. Otherwise what was the point of working towards a specific career path? If that's what a lot of these kids nowadays are doing I think they're wasting their money. El Paso leadership really needs to focus on bringing in high quality companies that diversify the city's employment prospects.

[eptex]

My son is graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Finance and Business Management and he tried to find a job in El Paso or Las Cruces. He could not find a job that pays any decent money and I pushed him hard to look elsewhere.

My son attended a job fair at the University in Las Cruces (NMSU), got an expenses paid trip for an interview, and he's got a job lined up in Plano, Texas.

I totally agree with holmes that El Paso leaderships need to focus on bringing in high quality jobs. We need some major players here.

[lipbalm]

That's the best choice your son ever made. Not only is it harder to find jobs in El Paso, but if you really want to make it to the next level of your career you have to go to a more competitive market.

[holmes]

Honestly I think lipbalm may be right, to a point. I have no idea what the El Paso/Las Cruces job market is like for a business major, but I have no doubt the grass is greener in the Dallas area. I felt much the same way when I moved away to Chicago some years ago. However as luck would have it, apparently there are new high tech companies coming into town. I should know.. I'm employed by one of them. So really it's up to the individual what they're looking for out of life. I've stated my reasons for coming back to El Paso. For some people that may be something to definitely consider and for others maybe not. My point is the job market here shouldn't be totally dismissed because I really do think this city is coming around and into the light. Call me an optimist..

[EnjoyEP]

I know I am a Business major (living up here in ABQ) and can only speak from my own personal experience.

Lately, I have been looking into/pursuing jobs in the El Paso area. I work in the area of professional staff in colleges/universities (eg: I am not an educator...I work in a staff position at a college/university, etc.).

I have - to this point - been pleasantly surprised by the availability of jobs that at least match my particular academic and professional backgrounds in the various local schools - UTEP, NMSU, EPCC and Dona Ana CC, etc.

Pay for these positions has been similar for most to pay up here in ABQ.

Having said that, I have expressed interest to two positions thus far that would have given me a slight pay increase from where I am now, as well as a slight increase in responsibilities, and have - at least not yet - been selected.

So...at least to this point, for me being a Business major, I do see a decent amount of jobs available for decent pay in my professional area. However, certainly that means something only if you are OFFERED a job! I recognize of course that if I am not offered a job, the rest of it is moot.

So perhaps I can be the "test dummy" here in the weeks ahead.

Surely I do also acknowledge that jobs for Business majors in general fields are not nearly as plentiful in El Paso (or up here in Albuquerque for that matter) as they are in many other cities thus far. However, having lived in the greater Milwaukee-Chicago region previously where Business major jobs were available left and right...I still prefer in general the lifestyle, costs of housing, etc., down in these areas than I did up there, even if it means making $10K less than I would elsewhere or not advance at warp speed.

Just depends I guess what folks are looking for professionally, and where their priorities in terms of jobs in their life fit. I am by no means a complacent worker, however, my job - to me at least - is more of a means to pay bills, buy food, keep the car up, etc. - more than an instrumental part in my life. I would rather - again just personally - make $45K and live somewhere where I can run outdoors every day after work than make $60K and be couped up for 8-months a year. But again, that is just me. Others would think I am nuts for that attitude.

[lipbalm]

I never had issues with El Paso itself, just the job market. In fact I liked living there but I could not justify staying when better professional opportunities awaited elsewhere. One day I shall return to my desert home. I hope to at least retire there or somewhere in the southwest.

[holmes]

Well put EnjoyEP! I look forward to hearing how it all works out for you..

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by holmes

Well put EnjoyEP! I look forward to hearing how it all works out for you..

Thanks holmes!

I will be the unofficial "test dummy" here and let you know how my job exploits go in in searching out EP. I only have a B.A. in Business (not an MBA) and I am an out-of-town applicant (not to mention not-bilingual), so we'll see if EP works out for a fellow in this position job-wise. I would take a SLIGHT pay cut for a great job otherwise in EP due to the lower cost of living, but not much of one. I will keep this thread updated with my perceptions of the good/bad of a job seeker in the area.

I will say this - in fairness to lipbalm and folks of similar thoughts - again, I certainly do agree that overall, the job market in El Paso is nowhere near like it is in many other cities of a similar size in the U.S. I remember the first few times I was in El Paso...I casually glanced at the Employment section in the Sunday El Paso Times. I say the "first few pages" and then started looking for the rest of the section...and finally realized that that was it!! I couldn't believe how short the Employment sections in the Sunday EP Times were compared to those I had seen in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Albuquerque!

So overall, I surely agree that in general terms, the job market isn't as great in EP as most places. I do think that is - and will continue to - changing/change, however, I cede right now, that is the #1 negative regarding relocating to El Paso I think by far.

However, I am an optimist and believe that even if one optimal job opens up in an area of size (in this case EP) that is a great fit for you, once you get "in" opportunities will continue to follow. The key though...getting "in"!

[AK123]

Originally Posted by holmes

Sorry for my generalizations, but I speak of my familiarity with certain cities like Chicago, New York, Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, etc.

I've only been to houston once about 10-15 years ago. If the housing market is as you say perhaps it may be better for some people to live in a bigger Texas city with the better pay, etc. I don't doubt there are more opportunities for your profession out there. But honestly I don't know how people can stand all the crime (from what I've heard). Also, Houston has a nasty habit of razing all their historic neighborhoods so I don't really find it very interesting, architecture-wise.

The crime in Houston is exaggerated... when you look up crime statistics you will see it's not especially bad compared to other large cities.

Historic neighborhoods aren't razed (see Heights, Montrose, etc), the problem has been more with single buildings (businesses).