Energy Infrastructure
Energy Infrastructure
COVID-19
HEROS
  Energy Infrastructure People and Companies



Media Room




Utica Supply Chain Workforce Summit hosted by EEIA and Zane State in Cambridge focused on jobs in the oil/gas industry
November 30, 2014



johnson-mack-brown.jpg By Judie Perkowski The Daily Jeffersonian Published: November 30, 2014 8:00AM

"Opportunities and Challenges" relating to the gas and oil industry was the theme for the Utica Supply Chain Workforce Summit at the Zane State EPIC Center in Cambridge last week. The event was co-sponsored by the Cambridge Area Chamber of Commerce and the Energy Equipment and Infrastructure Alliance.

Dr. Paul Brown, president of the Zane State, welcomed the audience and rekindled his vision of a high-tech corridor in Cambridge that connects businesses with educational institutions and entrepreneurs in a geographic area with its traditional business base, while successfully diversifying its economy into dynamic new sectors such as high technology, biotechnology, forensic science and biometrics.

Brown also noted that the gas and oil industry is a large part of the equation for a successful collaboration, noting the addition of American Energy Partners new regional office building at the D.O. Hall Center.

"We must learn to collaborate, to make this dream come true," said Brown."We need to work on a plan full time and get it off the ground."

Chamber President Jo Sexton said, "Our experience with the Utica Shale has always been about the people and education. It's about the gas and oil people and the impact they have had on our communities, and people in our communities learning how to partner with other businesses to extend their expertise and help build a better environment for the future. No one in business in Guernsey County has not been touched by the gas and oil people."

Toby Mack, president and Chief executive officer of EEIA, said the Unconventional Supply Chain Economic Impact Study provides new information for the energy outlook in Ohio. "The shale energy supply chain is comprised of thousands of local, regional and national business from more than 60 industry categories with more than 600,000 workers. They supply over $170 billion annually of construction, well services, equipment, supplies, logistics and services to oil and gas companies engaged in exploration, production, transportation and processing. They also build and supply the supporting public and private infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, production sites, pipelines, storage, processing plants, export terminals and worker housing.

"EEIA's mission and purpose is to advocate and serve its members in supply chain companies, trade associations and labor unions. It's mission is to organize, mobilize and lead the supply chain's voices to achieve widespread public acceptance and support for shale energy development and policies at all levels of government," said Mack, who then introduced U.S. Representative Bill Johnson, Ohio 6th District and a member of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, who spoke about the opportunities in the gas and oil industry for Ohioans.

"It's a good day in southeastern Ohio and our entire state ... We play a pivotal role in America's future. There are many projects coming our way that present great opportunities, with many jobs in oil fields, wells, pipelines, construction and dozens of other positions. "Our unemployment rate has dropped from 14 percent in 2012 to six percent in 2014. Legislation will not come to a standstill. There will be more open decisions on the energy front.

"The U.S. Senate said 'no' to American jobs when they said 'no' to the Keystone XL pipeline. The atmosphere will change in January when the new senators take office. The passage of the Keystone is imminent. We can have a huge impact on the world's economy.

Think about the opportunities on the horizon. Well services, equipment, machinery, the jobs will be there. We're on the right track, we just have more work to do. We have to engage our young people in the conversation about careers, not just jobs, for men and women in the gas and oil industry."

Phil Hopkins, director of consulting, economics and country risk for IHS, spoke about Ohio's workforce readiness challenges and shortage projections based on results of the new EEIA/IHS Economic Impact Study. IHS is a consulting and research organization used by multiple industries around the world.

"There is competition for workers. Oil and gas companies are trying to attract young people by emphasizing career opportunities, Planning and organizing skills are now in demand. They need people who are willing to embrace new technology. A huge benefit is that pay scales are growing dramatically," said Hopkins. "The value of goods and services provided by the supply chain to shale energy operations will increase from nearly $146 billion in 2012 to almost $206 billion in 2025."

A panel discussion with David Crawford of MarkWest, Chad Brown, provost and executive vice president of Zane State College, Joy Padgett, deputy director of the Governor's Office of Appalachia, Karl Johnson of Ohio CAT, Dan Waller of Kokosing Construction and Matt Szallosi, an attorney for the construction trade, who commented on the Utica region's educational resource capacity to satisfy opportunities for a job or position in the industry, and industry perspectives on supply chain workforce challenges and needs.

Szallosi summed it up with "We are talking about Ohio as a destination." jperkowski@daily-jeff.com

View Article as PDF


Did You Know?
View All Facts
SIGN UP! JOIN OUR

Network of Energy
Infrastructure Champions


EEIA Is the Voice of the Energy Infrastructure Supply Chain
Building the Energy Foundation for a Clean and Secure America

©2024 Energy Equipment and Infrastructure Alliance Inc. | 601 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 900 | Washington, DC 20004
Site by SDI WebLink | Terms and Conditions