Photo courtesy Lone Star College

Higher education institutions such as Lone Star College are rising to meet demand in the oil and gas industry with new facilities and programs available to prepare students to enter the workforce.

In 2012, 43,000 new jobs were added to the oil and gas industry in Texas, according to the Greater Houston Partnership, but there has also been an exodus of workers because of retiring baby boomers.

"There hasn't been a lot of succession planning done in the oil and gas industry, so we have this huge [skill] gap," said Christina Robinson Grochett, chief strategist for innovation and research at LSC–University Park. "We're working to build that succession plan with them so they can hire employees we can develop as future leaders so we don't run into this situation again."

Filling a void

In the oil and gas industry, there has been a resurgence of retired employees who are being asked to come back to mentor students coming directly out of school, Grochett said.

"Industry is hiring them but they don't have the skills, so they need somebody who knows the job to train them," she said. "We're trying to fill the gap in between so when our students go into industry they have the skills already."

To keep up with industry demand, LSC–University Park will open a 75,000-square-foot Energy and Manufacturing Institute on campus this fall to serve 1,400 students.

"There's a huge need right now for skilled workers, and the creation of the Energy and Manufacturing Institute was to fulfill that demand and put workers that have the right skills into the workforce immediately," Grochett said.

Students can follow a number of pathways to the oil and gas industry at LSCS, said Kelly Gernhart, dean of social science and advanced technology at LSC–CyFair.

"We have certification programs, which are great for someone changing careers or just starting out," he said. "Someone can earn a certificate in welding or machining that gives them a skill set to do an entry level position. Then they can build on that and work toward an associates degree while they are already employed."

Programs offered range from engineering technology to welding to petroleum data technology—a new program that will be offered this fall. The majority of programs give students hands-on opportunities in the classroom.

Preparing the workforce

In late March, Lone Star College–University Park began offering an Oil and Gas Drilling/Floor-Hand program to prepare students to enter the workforce in eight weeks.

"We're having folks hired right out of class," program director James Ward said. "This is a workforce program designed to put people to work."

Ward said the program has about an 85 percent placement rate with starting salaries between $40,000 and $80,000 per year, depending on what job avenue its students pursue.

An oil and gas drilling floor-hand performs general duties of all types on an oil rig, which is becoming more common in the industry, said John Galiotos, dean of the Energy and Manufacturing Institute.

"In the past you had specializations, but now you have to do more than that," he said. "You have to be an operator, and you have to be an instrument technician. The more skills you have, the better it is."

Cy-Fair ISD also offers courses with specific links to the energy industry, said Mark Williams, career and technology education coordinator.

"Part of the curriculum in our welding classes incorporates both procedures and processes for students to get hands-on experiences," he said. "Students also have the opportunity to explore various careers and jobs that span multiple manufacturing disciplines."

Working with industry

LSCS students have started their careers with numerous oil and gas companies in the Houston area, ranging from GE Oil and Gas to Cameron to ExxonMobil, Gernhart said.

David Eglinton, upstream media relations manager for ExxonMobil, said the company has invested $1.5 million in its Community College Petrochemical Initiative, a training program available at nine community colleges throughout the Texas Gulf Coast, including LSCS.

"This program is about preparing area residents to fill those jobs and launch satisfying careers in a critical industry," said Lynne Lachenmyer, senior vice president of ExxonMobil Chemical Company.

In addition to job opportunities, LSCS partners with companies to help students find internships, co-ops and apprentice programs.

Additional reporting by Brian Walzel