PBIOS - October 2021 - 137

and tank vehicle endorsement.
hind-the-wheel instruction. Students who
Odessa College
To the West of UTPB sits another great
partner, Odessa College. With a thriving
energy technology program, the college
offers educational opportunities for anyone
who enjoys working with electronics, repairing
equipment and solving problems.
OC supports careers in the energy technology
field with training in instrumentation
and electronics. The energy technology
program prepares students to enter highwage
and high-demand workforce areas
with broad-based training in electrical,
instrumentation, programmable logic controls,
automation and motor control.
Another highly successful program at
OC is automotive and diesel technology.
Students develop skills such as machine
and systems repair and vehicle maintenance,
and will be prepared to take the automotive
service excellence certification exam. Auto
service technicians, mechanics, bus and
truck mechanics, and diesel specialist positions
are listed on the Texas Workforce
Commission's targeted occupations list
for the Permian Basin region.
As the energy industry continues to
expand in the oil-rich Permian Basin,
there is a consistent need for employees
who are formally trained in instrumentation,
automation, engineering and programming.
OC's bachelor of applied arts
and sciences degree in automation prepares
graduates for design, development, implementation
and support of the software
and equipment in control systems. The
BAAS degree also offers tracks in entrepreneurship
and occupational health and
safety.
Finally, Odessa College offers a truck
driving academy to fill job vacancies in
the Permian. There is a high demand for
professional truck drivers. OC offers a
five-week course that consists of up to
200 hours that include classroom and besuccessfully
complete the entire course
will receive a class A commercial driver's
license, a certificate of completion, and
are qualified to secure an entry-level job
as a commercial motor vehicle driver.
Research Initiatives
Research initiatives at UTPB are focused
on solving real-world problems in the energy
industry. The Texas Water & Energy
Institute (TWEI) provides a multidisciplinary
and multi-institutional approach to
complex issues dealing with produced water,
wastewater and drinking water. Research
ranges from water quality, water-energy
interdependencies, water security, water
infrastructure protection and related policy
issues. In conjunction with Chevron, TWEI
also hosts a lecture series to create a
learning environment where industry, academia
and government agencies can network,
and discuss state-of-the-art treatment
technologies with current produced water
management strategies. The series is also
an opportunity for professional development.
UTPB
soon will be home to the Advanced
Manufacturing Center. The broader
impacts of the center include advancing
discovery and understanding
of new technologies; increasing access
to manufacturing techniques; improving
a sustainable framework for the region's
economic diversification through manufacturing;
and increasing universityindustry
partnerships and student engagements.
The
university also will offer an advanced
manufacturing certificate. This
program serves as a " bridge " between
the traditional academic curriculum and
industrial applications. As a credit-granting
certification program, students may transfer
credits toward their master's degree. This
is an excellent opportunity for people
who wish to get back into an academic
setting. It also provides a competitive
advantage in the local industry and bolsters
workforce development.
The Permian Basin is blessed with
valuable natural resources and an entrepreneurial
drive that inspires people who
are willing to take a chance and do something
big. UTPB embraces that wildcatter's
spirit and this year it is launching multiple
projects to support innovation and workforce
development. With help from the
Midland Development Corporation and
the Odessa Development Corporation,
the university is launching programs to
nurture ideas that grow the economy in a
stable, sustainable way.
At the Center for Energy and Economic
Diversification, the focus will be
managerial training, shared office spaces
and support for startup businesses. This
will also be home to an incubator, making
technological, scientific and management
expertise available through UTPB faculty
and services. A MakerSpace provides
opportunities for people with good ideas
to mingle and access tools that help
them produce prototypes. The end result
will be a place to bring innovative concepts
to market to begin the commercialization
process.
UTPB's Odessa campus, an Innovation
Center stocked with 3-D printers, computer-aided
design tools and much more
will support the development of product
prototypes. The Blackstone LaunchPad
by Techstars will support budding entrepreneurs
and next-generation leaders within
the university's student body. The space
will also be complete with a MakerSpace.
As the oil and gas industry continues
to recover, the demand for a highly skilled
workforce becomes ever-more important.
With three strong academic institutions,
each dedicated to providing quality training
and preparation, the future is as bright as
ever in the oil and gas industry, and all
across the Permian Basin.
❒
TATUM
HUBBARD
Tatum Hubbard is chief of staff and executive director of communication and marketing at
The University of Texas Permian Basin. She also serves on the board of directors of the Permian
Basin International Oil Show. Before joining UTPB, Hubbard was a longtime local news
anchor. She holds a degree in communications and political science from The University of
Texas at Arlington.
OCTOBER PBIOS 2021 137

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