When you work in the energy industry, having the right education and training is imperative to success.
And, getting your foot in the door requires knowledge and expertise.
Jim Griffin, associate vice chancellor/senior vice president for the petrochemical training division at San Jacinto College, said their goal is to provide qualified candidates for a broad range of plant maintenance and operations positions.
“This involves both entry-level opportunities through our credit programs and ongoing incumbent training for up-skilling existing workforce. We are grateful to have a growing global industry with a huge footprint in the Texas Gulf Coast,” Griffin said.
The college offers certificates, associate degrees and incumbent worker training in the areas of process technology, instrumentation, nondestructive testing and electrical.
Radha Radhakrishnan, managing director of UH Energy and professor in the Bauer College of Business, said from a demand standpoint, there’s more and more in the oil and gas industry, especially as it moves into areas such as fracking.
“There’s a huge demand for skilled people,” he said.
Cross training from different industries is also possible, Radhakrishnan said. Students can learn from simulators, and the theoretical side, to be as close to possible to a controlled environment.
“They can graduate with a good education and certification,” he said. Look for increase in demand in the technology, chemical, engineering, data analysis and offshore industries.
Linda Leto Head, Lone Star College senior associate vice chancellor, external and employer relations, said they are accredited by the International Association of Drilling Contractors for its oil and gas drilling floorhand-roustabout program. They were one of the first community colleges in the nation to earn the accreditation.
“This program ensures workers are prepared for life on a rig, contributing to the safety culture, and for achieving competence faster to move into higher-level positions. It prepares students for both onshore and offshore positions,” Head said.
Other opportunities include administrative and executive assistants, accountants, truck drivers, crane operators, cyber security professionals, traditional floor hands and roustabouts, said Head.
Energy.gov’s 2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report stated traditional energy and energy-efficiency sectors grew by under 5 percent, adding over 300,000 net new jobs in 2016.
Jobs are huge in the electric power generation and fuel technologies, the report stated.
In 2016, 55 percent of the jobs were in traditional coal, oil and gas, while almost 800,000 workers were in low-carbon-emission generation technologies, including renewables, nuclear, and advanced/low emission natural gas.
