(Anchor) DAVID GOMEZ-DRB MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIGITAL NEWS
Odessa, Texas/January 23, 2026-This is DRB MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIGITAL NEWS. Odessa College receives close to 300 thousand dollars in industry and community support. Danny Barrera has the story.
The Odessa College Welding and Precision Manufacturing Technology Program recently received a significant investment through three donations totaling $285,500 dollars supporting equipment, upgrades and student resources.
(Syed Muhammad Naqvi, Department Chair-Odessa College)
“It’s going to take us to a different level where we can provide extra support for our students. So they can be job ready outside for any challenge that is available outside in the, in the industry.”
Lincoln Electric donated $85,500 for a Lincoln Electric ABB Collaborative Robotic Arm that is one of the latest robotic technologies used in modern manufacturing.
(James Coffey, Technical Sales Representative-Lincoln Electric Company)
“In today’s world, we are short hundreds of thousands of welders. So companies have started up having to look at other ways, like what can we do to stay competitive? Part of that is going to robots and cobots, and other automation techniques. Yeah. To stay competitive in the world, there is a shortage of welders. “
A donation of $50,000 was made to the OC Welding Program from the Musa Family Living Trust in memory of Jonathan Musa, who was a student in the welding program.
(Ms. Rakia Musa, Mother to Jonathan Musa-Parramore/The Musa Family Living Trust)
“Now was his love. I mean, he tried other majors, and then eventually he said, “I’ll try. Well, then I said, okay, I’ll try on the on the sea. Well, then I will go and try on the land first. And we do the welding on the land before you start going to the other places. So, he came here, I loved it. Mohammed had been a great was a great coach for him and you know, and so he, he loved was that was this amount.”
The Permian Basin Area Foundation donated $150,000 to the Odessa College Program to help expand opportunities, enhance hands-on training to ensure students meet industry standards and workforce demands.
(Raymond Williams, Grants Officer-Permian Basin Area Foundation)
“So this contribution was important to us because it’s one of those things that impacts a lot of different people in a lot of different ways. And so, this could be the person fixing your car. This could be the person fixing, you know, plumbing your house welding apparatus, or, you know, the person building an oil rig that’s going to pump out, you know, a hundred barrels a day down. So, it’s just one of those things that really lets us touch a lot of different lives and really multiply our impact across a lot of different areas.”
Students who have graduated from the OC Welding Program are certified and are able to enter the industry workforce almost immediately and with a high starting salary.
(Jose Sanchez, Graduate-Odessa College Welding and Precision Manufacturing Technology Program)
(Roberto Gonzalez, Graduate-Odessa College Welding and Precision Manufacturing Technology Program)
“Everything they teach here in this school prepared me for my welding test and was able to get me a job as soon as I graduated.”
“Yeah. As soon as. As soon as I graduated, I had a job. So, um, I’ve gotten three job offers, and, you know, they’ve been great since I’ve graduated. And the team here, you know, if you can’t find a job, they’ll help you get a job. And all the classmates that graduated with me, they all have jobs.”
Jonathan Musa, who worked for Ector County in Road and Bridges, passed away in August 30th, 2024, and was a registered organ donor.
For DRB Media Communications Digital News, Danny Barrera.
(Anchor) DAVID GOMEZ-DRB MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIGITAL NEWS
Follow us on Facebook, X formally, Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and visit DRB MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIGITAL NEWS.TV; I’m David Gomez. Thanks for watching.
