U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján met with the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE), community leaders and broadband workforce experts at Doña Ana Community College to talk about a broadband workforce development program.
Over $1.9 million in federal funding will support OBAE’s broadband workforce and development program.
Luján said that funding this program ensures that locals will be able to get jobs in building and maintaining broadband.
“If we're going to build broadband networks across America, we need a strong workforce to get this done,” he said.
Luna County Broadband Expansion Contractor, Kitty Clemens said Providing stable and local jobs is important because it uplifts the entire community. This program will fight brain drain which is when educated and skilled people leave a community seeking better jobs.
“For them to have local talent is going to be so important. Talent recruitment is just huge in rural communities and talent retention is huge as well,” Clemens said.
According to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, "16% of residences and business locations, were unserved in 2023.19.5% of New Mexico residents report they don’t use the internet, especially across the Western edge of the state; and about 41% of New Mexicans don't have a computer at all which is the highest rate in the U.S."
Senator Luján says t he funding will provide broadband to every community in New Mexico across the state.
“Including on those small, dirt roads, long dirt roads to a ranch or to a family that doesn't have access to the internet now. This would bring the funding to every state across America to get people connected,” Luján said.
The program will provide training for technicians and certifications to New Mexicans in the broadband industry.
