Local educational institutions are taking notice of the growing need for better-trained employees in the energy industry and are implementing specialized programs for students as early as junior high school. Conroe ISD, the University of Houston and Lone Star College System all have begun offering programs and curriculum to students from eighth grade through post-graduate programs, as well as vocational classes, that have been established as a direct result of the local energy boom.

"There is a generation of people getting ready to retire, and there has not been a steady succession plan in place that is going to feed the industry given the growth opportunities," said Latha Ramchand, dean of the University of Houston C.T. Bauer College of Business. "This is something we need to be thinking about."

Ramchand announced the Bauer College would be offering an executive MBA program at Lone Star College University Center in The Woodlands designed specifically for the energy industry. Ramchand said the program was established because of the growing corporate energy sector in The Woodlands.

Meanwhile, Lone Star Corporate College at University Park on Hwy. 249 announced a program designed for oil and gas drilling that prepares students for entry into the energy industry in eight weeks.

"We think the programs in place are good but always like to see post-secondary institutes staying current on the newest industry developments, technologies and practices," Talisman Energy spokeswoman April Crane said.

Conroe ISD, through its Junior Achievement program, began offering an Exploring Careers program last fall based on curriculum established in part by Talisman Energy. The program educates students about careers in the oil and gas and chemical fields.

"We talk about different types of energy," said Jennifer Anderson, executive vice president of education for Junior Achievement at Conroe ISD. "We let kids understand that within the industry, there are a variety of jobs available."

Outreach efforts

Local energy leaders of companies headquartered in The Woodlands addressed the issue of hiring during the Economic Outlook Conference sponsored by The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 14. Executives from Talisman, Repsol Energy and Layne Christensen all said one of the biggest challenges they face is finding qualified employees.

"For an energy company like Talisman, one of our biggest challenges has been the people challenge," said Woody Pace, vice president of exploration for Talisman Energy. "We desperately need geoscientists, engineers and not only new graduates, but we're trying to find experienced folks. There is a war on talent, and we're all competing with each other."

Talisman is one of several Woodlands-area energy companies taking a proactive approach to establishing a more qualified employee base. Anderson said both Talisman and ExxonMobil have worked closely with Conroe ISD in establishing the curriculum for its exploring careers program provided to eighth grade students district-wide.

Anderson said that last year about 300 students participated in the program, in which volunteer speakers from the energy industry visit classrooms at every Conroe ISD middle school campus and talk about careers in oil and gas.

Ramchand said companies such as Shell, Anadarko and Halliburton have helped fine tune the curriculum for the executive MBA program that will be offered at University Center as well as working as instructors for classes at the main UH campus.

"We leverage our position in Houston to bring the energy industry to this program," she said. "We use [energy executives] as instructors when there is a fit between their skill set and our demands."

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 LSC. The initiative offers technical training programs to qualifying students to work in the chemical and energy industry.

"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.

Training and education

The scope of programs offered at schools, as well as their intent, vary. Programs, such as the energy MBA graduate program at the UH Bauer College, are longer term with class times designed for those already working in the industry. Lone Star College's Oil and Gas Drilling/Floor-Hand and Roustabout training program offers classes during the daytime and the evening Monday through Thursday during the summer. The program is designed to put people to work quickly.

"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. Our goal is to connect people with the company."

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 the students pursue.

The program is one of many offered through Lone Star College's Energy and Manufacturing Institute. The institute is an avenue for workforce training for employees already working in the oil and gas and energy industries or those seeking a career in the field.

Some of the technical education and training programs include machining, engineering technology, logistics and welding.

Crane said jobs available at Talisman are often dependent on what and how much post-secondary training a potential employee has obtained. Entry-level positions in the technical field could include engineering, technicians and field operators, while non-technical or support jobs may include human resources, supply chain, information technology or commercial analysis.

UH Bauer College energy certificates include energy finance, energy investment analysis and economics of the energy value chain.

Classes in these programs will be offered beginning in the fall at the University Center, Ramchand said.

"We have people who serve the energy industry come and talk to us about what the curriculum should look like," she said. "They will say, 'We need engineers but engineers who understand business.' So, we have programs where students get a bachelor's degree in engineering and have added to that a masters MBA, and they can do it in five years."