Oil and Gas industry churning out new jobs 

The Permian Basin oil and gas industry is churning out jobs at a blistering pace, with employment up 13 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to last year.

Hired by Midland College's Petroleum Professional Development Center, The Perryman Group conducted a study of the economic impact the oil and gas industry has in Midland and Ector counties. The study found, in Ector County, the exploration and production sector was responsible for 76.5 percent of the county's economic activity, generating $22 billion in total expenditures and $7.3 billion in real gross product and 61,527 permanent jobs.

In Midland County, the industry represented 75.3 percent of the county's economic activity, generating $29.5 billion in annual expenditures, $9.6 billion output and 77,717 permanent jobs. Combined, the two counties receive $51.1 billion in annual expenditures, 16.8 billion in output and 139,245 permanent jobs from the exploration and production sector.

"In a sense, most people located here have found a job already," commented Drew Kennard, executive recruiter with Preferred Personnel Inc. "The people that are qualified are already employed."

Where his company comes in, he said, is when clients are seeking to fill positions that are harder to fill, for example engineers with experience in a specific area or formation. "We're trying to find people outside the box, people outside the area geographically," he said. "There's a need for more people than live here."

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