Posts Tagged ‘gas drilling workforce’

By RICH HOWELLS rhowells@golackawanna.com

SCRANTON – In order for Johnson College to keep up with the future of Pennsylvania’s industries, the technical school has gone back to its past.

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Johnson held an open house on Wednesday of their brand new Welding Training Center, located at 2001 Rosanna Ave. The college hasn’t offered welding training to students since 2002, when they suspended their Welding Program after 33 years due to declining enrollment.

As development of natural gas from the state’s Marcellus Shale continues, the demand has now increased for skilled welders. Johnson hopes to meet that demand through an initiative by the Center for Sustainability at Johnson College, which is dedicated to offering industry-driven curriculum related to clean, green, and sustainable energy concepts.

“Johnson College’s goal is to take welders and specifically train them for the API 1104 code, which is the regulation they’re using for the pipeline in the natural gas industry. Right now, there’s a high demand for pipe welders who can weld to the API 1104 code. That’s primarily been used in southern states, so in this area, there’s not lot of welders trained in that. Our goal is to get local people working on the pipeline,” explained welding instructor Jeff Roughgarden.

Roughgarden, who has more than 10 years of welding experience, said that Johnson is the only school in the area offering a full-time day pipe welding program. The school also offers evening classes. The two courses are Basic Cutting and Welding for Pressure Pipelines, which runs for 400 hours over 16 weeks, and Pipe Welding for experienced welders, which is 125 hours over five weeks. The Welding Training Center also provides booth rentals and customized job training.

“There aren’t many schools locally that do welding training. We’re different because we’re teaching it all at once in short, 16-week segments,” added Marie Allison, director of continuing education.

Most of the drilling is currently being done in Susquehanna County, according to Allison, but more gas well drilling is being planned in Lackawanna County all the time. As high levels of unemployment continue to plague the area, she explained that the addition of these industry jobs is not only crucial to the region, but offer steady, dependable employment as well.

“The longevity (of these jobs) is important. Given that right now there are a lot of industries that are laying off workers, we need career paths that have long-term stability, and I think the gas industry has that. It varies. Some say 15 years, some say 20 years, and some say we’ll be here for 50 years. I think it’s going to be another 15 to 20 years, and that’s going to help a lot of people.”

Allison added that while these programs give students the skills necessary to obtain entry-level positions as welders for the gas industry, the abilities they learn and develop can also be useful in other industries, such as pipe welding for boiler manufacturers.

“These are skill sets that are transferable across industry sectors, but we do expect that most of the individuals would be looking at the gas industry for employment,” Allison said.

The occupation itself, as well as its tough schedule, can be difficult, Allison warned. There are many benefits, however, to those looking to start a career.

“It is a tough field to get into, and it’s a tough career path. It’s sometimes 14 days on, 14 days off,” she said. “There’s a commute, and a lot of individuals have to be prepared to do that. If they are, then there are a lot of opportunities there.”

Copyright: Times Leader