UPDATE: COMING TO STARK STATE COLLEGE - Oil & Gas Job Training Available
A class designed to prepare workers for jobs in eastern Ohio’s oil fields will be offered this fall at Stark State College.
It marks the beginning of what Stark State expects will be a series of programs and classes aimed at preparing workers for future jobs in the oil and gas industry.
Eventually the college expects to open an Energy Center in downtown Canton, where classes and training for oil field jobs will be held. The state has allocated $10 million toward developing the building.
“We’re looking at it from all aspects and trying to address the needs,” said S. Kathleen Streere, a petroleum engineer who has been named coordinator of Stark State’s oil and gas programs.
The initial class will teach “floor hand” duties to prospective workers on drilling rigs. Stark State is working with ShaleNET, a federal grant program developed to train oil field workers and place them with drilling companies. ShaleNET is based in Pennsylvania and provides training through 20 community colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.
Key to the program is workplace safety. “We want a trained workforce because you don’t want to see an accident,” Steere said.
Students who complete the initial class will receive SafeLandUSA certification, which companies require for someone to work at a drilling site. The SafeLand program covers a range of workplace safety issues.
The initial course runs three weeks. Students will be certified in different areas. The certifications can be combined with 15 other career courses offered at Stark State. The college hopes the different classes can be used by students to attain an associate’s of applied science degree in two areas, lease operator training or natural gas compressor training.
Read the entire article here.
Original story from 6/14/12:
There are plenty of jobs available in the oil and gas industry, and you don't have to know all about working on a rig to take advantage of the shale boom in the area. From pressure washing to driving a truck to safety inspection and more, there are a wide range of skills needed by these companies.
If you'd like to learn more about the industry and develop the skills needed to secure employment, there are resources available to you.
ShaleNET offers training courses designed to help you find the right fit for your skills in the oil and gas industry. From their website:
ShaleNET Talent Match is the result of a grant funded by the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Its mission is to design a comprehensive recruitment, training, placement, and retention program for high priority occupations in the natural gas drilling and production industry.Training is held in Ohio at Eastern Gateway Community College. For more information, visit ShaleNET's website.
There is also a Gas and Oil Technology course available to area high school students. The class will be held at Marlington High School and is available to students of other schools through open enrollment. For more information about the course just click here.
And, as always, remember that the first step for these oil and gas jobs is to avoid drugs. After you do that, a blend of knowledge and a willingness to work hard can take you a long way.
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