Coastal Bend Cooperative Spirit Leads To Success
Published Aug 14, 2009
New international industries, coupled with a resurgence of longtime major local business sectors, showcase the Coastal Bend’s “can-do” business climate now more than ever.
Companies are drawn to the region for a variety of reasons: geographic location, port facilities, road/rail infrastructure, a well-trained, skilled workforce and more. Economic-development officials are quick to tout those amenities, but also highlight the area’s strong sense of cooperation and team spirit across industries and among communities.
“We have everything from agricultural to aerospace here, plus off-shore manufacturing, helicopter building and health care. We have companies that operate here and reach around the world,” says J.J. Johnston, executive vice president and chief business development officer for the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation. “We are a gateway to the entire world, and we are always working to add to what we have here and to become even more successful.”
As the Coastal Bend has diversified its industry base, companies and workforce-development officials have relied on a strong network of community colleges, working in tandem with Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and other collegiate partners, for workforce development, training and education. That holds especially true today as technologically advanced research companies increasingly call the area home.
To bring it all together, there are support entities standing ready to facilitate every step of the process.
“Our role is a critical one, because our core business is connecting people to jobs,” says Mary Ann Rojas, president and chief executive officer of Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend, which includes multiple local industries, school districts, community colleges and universities, training centers and other entities among its partners. “We have initiatives that we began that continue to result in job creation, and we continue to work to provide training and education through and with our partners.”
These collaborative efforts send a strong message, she says.
“Anyone coming in, even just to look at our area, doesn’t have to go to 10 of 15 places to get their questions answered,” Rojas says. “They find out very fast how united we are in our approach to helping them, and they can get plugged into what we offer as a region very, very quickly.”
The Coastal Bend’s 12-county area also is strongly connected physically by its various transportation networks, a feature that allows residents not only to live near their jobs but also connects them to higher education offerings and other opportunities. Coupled with multiple recreational and cultural amenities, it’s a region that has plenty to offer everyone.
“We have a very diverse economic base as well as a diversified workforce, and that sends the message that this is a great place to live, and whatever your business is, here’s the place to get it done.”
Story by Joe Morris
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