Meeting focuses on keeping petrochemical and manufacturing going
Published 5:37 pm Thursday, March 23, 2017
PORT NECHES — The petrochemical and manufacturing industry helped this area develop. The Golden Triangle Business Roundtable is attempting to carry on that tradition.
The GTBR met on Tuesday afternoon for their monthly meeting at the Pompano Club in Port Neches. The Workforce Solutions of Southeast Texas presented on the inception of a new initiative for Southeast Texas to sustain a strong petrochemical and manufacturing industry that is large enough to support current and forecasted economic growth for workers who have the skills, qualifications and certifications that align with the needs of the local industry.
The new initiative will be the Southeast Texas Petrochemical Manufacturing and Construction Industry Sector Partnership.
Ira McNeil, Business Solutions Representative for the Southeast Texas Workforce Development Board was the guest speaker.
The new partnership will work with employers and workforce development entities, educators, training centers, labor leaders, and community-based organizations to survey forecasted workforce capacities and to develop plans to close identified skill gaps, McNeil said.
“The leadership of employer members is critical for developing strategies that respond to the industry’s workforce needs,” he said. “The initiative will incorporate a comprehensive focus on the issues of career and technology education, nested education, and government and industry partnerships.”
Nested education is learning based on prior learning.
The Partnership initiative will conduct a Manpower and Data Validation Survey in 2017, with the support of Kabir C. Sen, chair of Lamar University’s Department of Management and Marketing who will provide support services in evaluating and summarizing the findings of the partnerships surveys.
“The survey results will be instrumental in setting the stage for the strategic development of the area’s educational and training infrastructure to prepare a qualified and sustainable workforce to meet the workforce needs of Southeast Texas for the present and foreseeable future,” McNeil said.
David Ball: 409-721-2427
