HCC receives $100,000 to support RigOne training
Sep 19, 2014
At the September meeting of the Houston Community College Board of Trustees the concept for the RigOne Safety and Skills Training Simulator at Northeast College was approved. Dr. Cesar Maldonado, HCC chancellor, also announced a $100,000 donation from the Board of the Society of Petroleum Engineers – Gulf Coast Section to support the program.
In response to the offshore industry’s call for new ways to meet “the big crew change,” HCC has partnered with multiple offshore employers to address entry-level workforce needs. The RigOne Safety and Skills Training Simulator will provide a hands-on instructional learning program to train entry-level field personnel for the oil and gas drilling industry.
“This donation will provide funding for equipment and scholarships for the RigOne program,” he said. “We appreciate their interest in our program and thank the Society of Petroleum Engineers for their generous donation that will enable us to help educate and train the workforce of tomorrow.”
The offshore exploration and production industry is faced with the need to train and staff crews for more than 100 new offshore drilling rigs currently under construction. When combined with the thousands of projected retirements, HCC will be positioned as a leader in the training of the next great generation of petroleum industry workers.
Students will spend their days primarily outdoors, working around cranes and forklifts to learn safe pipe and cargo handling, while acquiring skills in other areas including materials handling, confined space entry, routine maintenance, hand/power tool skills, basic first aid, firefighting and other safety procedures.
Dr. Maldonado also announced that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has funded a $1.3 million grant to support a wide range of activities that will help prepared young people and adults for further education and successful career across the district. The Texas Workforce Commission recently awarded Houston Community College and Lone Star College a Veterans Skills Development fund grant that will train 90 veterans over the next 12 months in welding and electrical program.This collaboration will support the many veterans’ initiatives already underway at HCC.
More details at www.hccs.edu/drillcenter