Oct 21, 2014 3 min read

PITTSBURGH — With a $20 million boost from Chevron Corp., Appalachia Partnership Initiative intends to stem the tide of an undersupplied labor force.

And the boost includes funding of an energy lab in Bethlehem-Center School District.

“We need to improve access to and the quality of STEM programs,” Nigel Hearne said. “We need to close the skills gap and take advantage of unique opportunities for the region.”

Hearne, president of Chevron Appalachia, was addressing the region’s rapidly growing need for qualified workers in the oil and gas and manufacturing sectors. Demand is far outstripping supply in the search for a workforce that is sufficiently skilled in certain areas, especially science, technology, engineering and math – STEM.

In an effort to improve training and retraining of these much-needed workers, Hearn’s energy company and three regional nonprofits Tuesday announced they have partnered to implement the initiative. Representatives of all four organizations discussed their plans and goals at the Heinz History Center in the Strip District.

The initiative aims to ramp up education and workforce development for would-be employees in 27 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Northern West Virginia and Eastern Ohio that are in the gas-rich Marcellus and Utica shale regions.

Chevron Corp. contributed $20 million to the project, and according to a news release, committed $130 to STEM over the past three years.

Hearn and Trip Oliver, manager of policy, government and public affairs, spoke for the San Ramon, Calif.-based firm. They shared the dais with Dennis Yablonsky, chief executive officer of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development; Jim Denova, vice president of the Benedum Foundation; and Gabriella Gonzalez, sociologist with Rand Corp.

“This initiative is a big opportunity for all of us who care about the region’s students, workers and economic prosperity,” Yablonsky said. “There is a shortage in the region of candidates with strong STEM skills.”

He also pointed out that a vast number of jobs will likely be available the rest of this decade, and probably beyond.

“The bulk of jobs do not require a four-year degree,” Yablonsky said. “But they do need STEM skills.”

Denova, whose philanthropic foundation supports Western Area Career & Technology Center in Chartiers Township, said, “Schools need to have a close relationship with the tech sector.”

A workforce analysis report, conducted by the Allegheny Conference in 2012, led to this initiative. The report determined that 14 occupations, not all in gas and oil, had a demand for workers that dwarfed the supply.

“The ultimate goal,” Oliver said, “is that companies with needs in these 14 occupations will have enough qualified workers available.”

Yablonsky said there are three work areas, in particular, with acute needs: roustabout, mechatronics and welding.

Companies “can’t get enough welders, and you can make a lot of money.”

Chevron’s support includes funding not only for a Beth-Center energy lab, but one for Elizabeth Forward School District. The company is working on those projects with graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University.

ShaleNet, an oil and gas-related workforce training program, also is getting funds for scholarships at four community colleges in the tri-state region.

In addition, the initiative has Chevron expanding its partnership in Project Lead the Way, for kindergarten through grade 12 STEM program in the tri-state.

The overriding goal is simple but ambitious.

“We want to improve education,” Hearne said, “because an educated workforce leads to economic growth.