News Releases for October 2008
October 9, 2008
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Hoeven Presents $442,000 to WSC For Oil and Gas Workforce Programs
BISMARCK, ND - Gov. Hoeven today presented Williston State College with a $441,762 Workforce Enhancement Grant. The grant will expand the college's oil and gas industry training programs to include programs for SMART (Safety, Management, and Rig Up Training); lease operators; introduction to oil and gas operations; derrick-hands; and potentially floor-hand training for drilling rigs.
"This grant supports the development of workforce training programs that are vital to the ongoing growth of this region's oil and gas industry," Hoeven said. "This industry is helping develop an important resource for our nation and creating a lot of good high paying jobs in our state. We are pleased to help support it in this way."
This is the second Workforce Enhancement Grant approved and awarded. The program was established by the 2007 Legislature as an adjunct to the Centers of Excellence program to fund workforce training initiatives.
The grant will help cover the costs of curriculum development; instructor training and certification; student outreach and recruitment; and equipment for programs designed to meet a growing need for skilled workers by the oil and natural gas industry in North Dakota. It is a direct response to recommendations from the Williston Oil and Natural Gas Advisory Committee.
"With the new equipment and curriculum enhancements made possible through the project, Williston State College will have the capacity to train an estimated 310 individuals over the next year, and another 288 in the next biennium," said Commerce Commissioner Shane Goettle. The North Dakota Department of Commerce Workforce Development Division oversees the grants.
The estimated number of individuals trained per program is:
- SMART Program: (90 individuals trained the first year and 180 next biennium)
- Lease Operator Program: (64 individuals trained the first year and 90 next biennium)
- Oil & Gas Operations: (144 individuals trained the first year and 192 next biennium)
- Derrick-Hand Program: (12 individuals trained the first year and 6 next biennium)
- The project will allow the purchase of equipment to supplement donated equipment and material from the oil and natural gas industry.
Sixteen private-sector companies have provided dollar-for-dollar match for the grant. These include:
- Stallion
- Crosby Group
- Wisco
- Eagle Well Services
- Haliburton & Energy Services
- Baker Oil Tools
- High Plains
- Schlumberger
- Hess
- McCody Concrete
- Natco
- Woodgroup
- Crisco
- Norris
- Harbison & Fisher
- Marathon Oil
Workforce Enhancement Grants are a tool for two-year institutions of higher education to apply for funds to help create or enhance training programs that address workforce needs of private sector employers in North Dakota. Projects require private sector participation and a dollar-for-dollar match of all state money with private funds.
Grant funding may be used for curriculum development, equipment, recruitment of participants and training and certification of instructors. Funds may not be used to supplant funding for current operations.
A Workforce Enhancement Council, consisting of the private sector membership of the North Dakota Workforce Development Council, the state director of the Department of Career & Technical Education and the Division Director of the workforce development division of the ND Department of Commerce who serves as the Chair, reviews all proposals and provides funding recommendations to the Commissioner, ND Department of Commerce.
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