Partnership increases workforce development

Mayor Annise Parker and Lone Star College System Chancellor Dr. Richard Carpenter signed two memorandums of understanding March 29 in Brazil.

The first MOU they signed created a partnership between LSCS and PANGEA, The Houston Supply Chain and Logistics Institute and Escola Politécnica da UFRJ (POLI), one of Brazil's top public universities. The partnership exchange opportunities for faculty, student and intellectual capital will facilitate oil and gas industry-specific training in Brazil.

The second MOU partnered Brazilian-based Centro de Excelência em EPC with LSCS and PANGEA to develop relationships with Petrobras, the Brazilian national oil company, and other Brazilian companies to train deep-water drilling personnel.

"Houston has a wealth of expertise within its higher education community that is integral to growing our position as a city leading the way in new technology and workforce development," said Mayor Parker. "This time, it is about growing the oil and gas industry. Each meeting and agreement finalized on this trade mission is aimed at creating jobs and bringing dollars back home to Houston."

"Lone Star College has many workforce training programs and credit career tracks specifically designed for the trade skills needed in the oil and gas industry that is taking off here in Brazil," said Carpenter. "Through these new partnerships, we have a tremendous opportunity to come together with these universities and companies with the intellectual capital to help provide key oil and gas training programs, whether they are upstream, midstream or downstream jobs."

Funding for the training in Brazil will be provided by the companies involved, and LSCS will seek state workforce development grants to fund local training in Houston.

The agreements also include a working relationship with the International Association of Drilling Contractors.

LSCS will work with U.S. corporations based in Houston to identify their workforce needs in Brazil and how to better train workers here and in Brazil to help fill those needs.

"Lone Star College will continue to maximize these opportunities of exchange to support the growth of this industry in Houston and in Brazil," said Carpenter.

LSCS and Lone Star Corporate College recently brought together key leaders of 30 major oil and gas companies to form the Chancellor's Global Advisory Council to help steer the program and service decisions at the college system.