We are committed to utilizing local suppliers and workers for the preparatory and construction phases of our major projects in Southeast Texas.
Still, due to the enormous industry growth across Southeast Texas, ExxonMobil and the rest of industry project a 50-percent shortage in skilled craft labor, particularly in the fields of welding and pipe-fitting.
ExxonMobil contributes annually toward education and training in furtherance of technical and engineering education. Education programs span elementary to higher education, including funding for engineering programs, technical programs, scholarships, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) development and workforce skills training. We work closely with the Beaumont Independent School District, Lamar University, Lamar Institute of Technology and other organizations to assist in developing a skilled, locally based workforce.
Dual enrollment credit program
To help prepare Beaumont Independent School District high school students to compete in the growing STEM workforce, ExxonMobil and the Lamar Institute of Technology have collaborated for the past six years to offer low-cost dual enrollment credit opportunities. Since 2015, ExxonMobil has contributed more than $160,000 in scholarship funding to help students earn credits in STEM courses, including process technology and instrumentation technology, while simultaneously earning their high school diploma. The dual credit program is currently offered at three local BISD high schools: Beaumont Early College High School, Beaumont United High School and Westbrook High School. Students may participate in the program regardless of socioeconomic status and receive both hands-on training and hours of college credits dependent on area of study.
By studying instrumentation technology, students learn how to manage and maintain high-level equipment used in automated systems essential for operations in chemical plants, petrochemical refineries and other industrial settings. Process operating curriculum includes safety, computer science, quality control and general procedures for distillation reactions – all essential topics at petrochemical sites and activities including start-ups and shutdowns. Learn more about the program at https://www.lit.edu/dual-credit.
Employment opportunities in Beaumont include process operators, instrument technicians, analyzer technicians, lab technicians, maintenance technicians, electricians, machinists, mechanics and other related positions.