The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. (Photo: DOE)
The Department of Energy today announced a noncompetitive financial assistance cooperative agreement with Southeast New Mexico College, located in Carlsbad, N.M., for educational programs to enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of current Waste Isolation Pilot Plant employees while also building and training WIPP’s next-generation workforce.
The total estimated value of the agreement is $11,724,598, with a five-year period of performance from August 15, 2023, through August 14, 2028.
Teamwork: The college will work with personnel from the DOE and WIPP to design and provide education and training programs for current and future employees who reside in Carlsbad and adjacent communities. The programs will help address the current worker shortage and increase interest in jobs at WIPP while also building a pipeline of well-trained and qualified workers for the future, according to the DOE.
Quote: “The communities of Southeast New Mexico have long been the backbone of the WIPP workforce and their contributions to the success of the WIPP mission cannot be understated,” said Mark Bollinger, manager of the DOE's Carlsbad field office. He added, “This new cooperative agreement represents a landmark investment that will further strengthen the New Mexico economy by helping prepare students at Southeast New Mexico College for great careers for years to come.”
