Chevron Invests $630k in ShaleNET Programs

PITTSBURGH – Chevron Appalachia says it plans to invest $630,000 in ShaleNET education programs administered at four community and technical colleges in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Since 2014, Chevron Appalachia has invested more than $2.1 million in programs at Stark State College in Ohio, Westmorland Community College and Pennsylvania College of Technology in Pennsylvania, and Pierpont Community and Technical College in West Virginia. The programs are dedicated to workforce development in energy and manufacturing.

The latest investment comes as the energy industry matures and ShaleNET’s curriculum adapts to reflect the region’s need for a highly skilled workforce. The program model focuses on transferrable skills that enable successful careers across the growing energy and advanced manufacturing industries.

“We’re proud of our investment in regional ShaleNET programs, which help prepare and re-train a highly-skilled workforce for energy and manufacturing industry career opportunities,” said Trip Oliver, manager of policy, government and public affairs for Chevron Appalachia. “Our success is linked to the region’s progress and we are proud to work with these institutions to provide education and training programs that support the region’s citizens and contribute to economic growth.”

Chevron’s investment is part of the company’s Appalachia Partnership Initiative – a multi-year collaboration that works to close the region’s skills gap by enhancing STEM education and workforce training programs. This year’s ShaleNET investment provides scholarship assistance, expands professional staff to help graduates enter the workforce, enables schools to purchase new equipment, and boosts community outreach. Highlights include:

• More than $200,000 toward scholarship funds that will be used to offset student education costs.
• More than $350,000 will be dedicated to securing state-of-the-art equipment to provide hands-on experience.
• Additional funds will be used to hire career counselors at each school, who provide critical job placement support, as well as community outreach initiatives, including education forums and public school outreach.

ShaleNET graduates possess the technical skills needed for midstream and downstream positions in the energy industry and related industries, including advanced manufacturing, transportation, and plastics, Chevron said.

The awards include a $155,517 grant to Pierpont for scholarships for full- and part-time students enrolled in the petroleum technology and applied process technology program; $a 150,302 grant to Pennsylvania College of Technology to support scholarships and a career counseling position; a $212,000 grant to Westmorland for advanced industry equipment used for training; and $118,269 to Stark State for student scholarships and the acquisition of new equipment.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.