When the upcoming 145,000-squarefoot Center for Petrochemical, Energy, and Technology (CPET) opens in 2019, it will be a facility for industry, by industry.
CPET is positioned to change the face of how process operators and other key technicians of a plant are educated and trained for the petrochemical industry. This is a result of conversations between San Jacinto College and industry partners established before the planning of the center.
To gain insight into exactly what the industry needs, San Jacinto College Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer invited a wide range of industry leaders to serve together on a Petrochemical Advisory Council. The council includes representatives from Austin Industrial, Dow Chemical Company, East Harris County Manufacturers Association (EHCMA), Economic Alliance Houston Port Region, INEOS, Infinity/Wood Group, ISC Constructors LLC, Kaneka North America, Kuraray America, Lubrizol, LyondellBasell, R. Boeding Group LLC, Rizzo & Associates, Shell Deer Park, Turner Industries and Zachry Group.
"The vision, the design and curriculum within the center will align with the petrochemical industry," said Associate Vice Chancellor/Senior Vice President for the Petrochemical Training Division Jim Griffin, who holds more than 30 years of experience in the petrochemical manufacturing industry. "We understand the No. 1 concern of companies is their workforce, and our goal is to provide them with graduates who have completed a rigorous program, met specific success factors and are already acclimated to the culture of a plant."
CPET will house programs in process technology, instrumentation, electrical, nondestructive testing and craft trades. An environmental, health and safety culture will be built into the curriculum, with the latest in OSHA regulation coursework and emphasis on process safety management. This will include students wearing uniforms like that of operators in a plant and operating within a set schedul e similar to plant shift work. An 8,000-square-foot exterior glycol process unit will be used with every program that trains in the building and to develop troubleshooting skills for entry, advanced credit students and incumbent workers. Additional features will include the newest software programming, equipment and technology, and conference, training and assembly spaces.
Industry partners are giving their input and donations, as CPET will be available for use by companies. INEOS has donated $250,000 and will receive naming rights for one of the center's skills labs. Hunter has donated a blast-resistant building like those that are now part of most plant sites, which will be used as a training space for outside operators and house the Motor Control Center for the glycol unit. Eaton engineer Amber Wright has designed the electrical labs, and the company will donate training equipment and most of the electrical components for the glycol unit. Tracer Construction is donating the electrical heat tracing system for the glycol unit. NiSoft is donating a safety program package.
"We want this facility to represent a day in the life of an operator," said Hellyer. "We cannot thank our industry partners enough for everything they're doing to ensure that San Jacinto College is home to the premier training facility for the region's petrochemical workforce."
San Jacinto College broke ground on CPET in September 2017. A $60 million investment, the center is funded by a $425 million bond referendum approved by voters in the district in 2015, along with contributions from industry partners. The college offers certificates, associate degrees and incumbent worker training, and is pursuing the approval and development of a bachelor's of applied technology degree.
For more information, visit www. sanjac.edu/CPET
