EVANSVILLE — To combat an impending “silver tsunami,” five local chemical companies partnered with Ivy Tech Community College Evansville with a goal to more quickly identify and train new employees, offer scholarship and internship opportunities, and potentially a $20 an hour starting salary.
At a news conference Monday morning, Ivy Tech Evansville Chancellor Jonathan Weinzapfel announced details of a new program - Process Operations technical certificate - which will directly impact imminent workforce needs of several local companies in the chemicals industry including: SABIC, Valero, Green Plans, Mead Johnson Nutrition and CountryMark of Mount Vernon.
Weinzapfel referred to the partnership as a “creative solution” to address what some are calling a “silver tsunami as many in the workforce are at, or nearing, retirement. … Because of these retirements these companies have a great need for trained process technicians to operate equipment in the production process."
Students in Ivy Tech's Process Operations technical certificate program will be prepared to enter the workforce in one year, officials said, and can benefit from scholarship and internship opportunities provided by the five companies.
Weinzapfel praised SABIC as officials there developed a plan to train individuals for expected open positions in the coming months and years as skilled employees retire.
To help fund new lab equipment, scholarships and internship opportunities for the Process Operations technical certificate program, SABIC donated $147,000; Country Mark donated $20,000 and Valero donated $15,000 to the Ivy Tech Foundation.
Joe Castrale, SABIC Mt. Vernon facility general manager, said this program is essential to the long term success and viability of the Mount Vernon operation, and it's important to invite similar companies to join the process. Castrale said Ivy Tech's technical certificate program provides quicker training to allow SABIC to continue operating safely in a global marketplace.
“SABIC’s Mount Vernon production employees possess a unique set of technical and critical thinking skills that take years to develop,” Castrale said. “With increasing retirements on the horizon, it is important now more than ever to address the workforce gaps in the petrochemical industry head on."
In mid-April, Ivy Tech was approved to offer the Process Operations technical certificate. The 34-credit hour credential will teach students qualifications and fundamental knowledge of the process industry, which can lead to employment as process operators in a variety of fields including the chemical, pharmaceutical and petroleum refining industries.
Enrollment is currently open for summer classes.
The program will provide a practical education in various aspects of plant operations including environmental, health, safety, equipment operation, process monitoring, troubleshooting procedures, regulatory compliance and basic preventative maintenance.
Students working toward the Process Operations technical certificate will learn how to:
- Maintain safety, health and environmental standards in a chemical plant
- Handle, store and transport chemical materials per all applicable federal, state and local regulations
- Describe chemical process systems and operations
- Operate, monitor and control batch and continuous chemical process operations
- Apply mathematical and statistical concepts and principles to chemical process operations
- Use computers and computerized equipment for communications and chemical process control
Graduates may be employed at competitive starting salaries of $20 an hour or more, according to company leaders.
Weinzapfel added that funding through NextLevel Jobs through the governor’s office may provide these courses free to qualifying students. To learn if you qualify, contact Ivy Tech’s enrollment center and financial aid office.