Craig Daily Press

Craig — A business can’t succeed without quality workers, energy industry speakers said Thursday during the Fueling Thought Energy Summit 2008 at the Holiday Inn of Craig.

The same is true for power plants and coal mines, they said, which make one of the largest industries in the region based on number of employees and taxes paid to local government.

However, industry represen­tatives added that a problem with work force shortages — namely fewer skilled and dependable workers, and a shortage of workers in general — reaches each of their businesses, despite competitive wages and benefits.

Energy prices also are hurting at least one operation in western Rio Blanco County.

“Maintaining and attracting good employees is tough,” said Jeff Dubert, chief engineer for the Deserado Mine between Rangely and Vernal, Utah. “As fuel prices rise, we hear more and more grumbling about people (who) don’t want to drive out to our location. It becomes more economical for them to work in town and not commute.”

Regional community colleges hope to be able to help all local businesses with work force problems through vocational training, representatives said.

Colorado Northwestern Com­munity College — with two campuses in Craig and Rangely — and Colorado Mountain College — with several campuses that include locations in Steamboat Springs and Rifle — both offer two-year associates degrees for various fields, including different positions within the energy industry.

It’s worthwhile to bring opportunity to the area, said Robin Haney, Colorado Mountain College West Garfield Campus energy training coordinator.

The energy industry increases those opportunities, Haney added.

“In an area like Rifle, Colorado, there haven’t been jobs like that for high school students to come out with two years of training and get a job where they can stay at home,” she said. “They can work where they want to live and make a good living.”

Haney’s college offers different programs for different parts of the industry. Cooperation with businesses offering guidance in what skills they need from workers is key to making the different programs work, she said.

Admittedly, education is one piece of the puzzle, CNCC President John Boyd said.

“You can’t find people out there and if you can, you can’t find a house for them,” he said.

CNCC focuses on building facilities and creating programs that will attract students who will want to stay in the area, Boyd said, not get an education and leave.

Boyd and Haney said their schools were committed to improving their programs, attracting the best faculty and serving the specific needs of their communities.

“That is, in my mind,what it’s going to take to fix the problems we have with the work force shortage,” Boyd said.