Dominion hiring Texas Company to build processing plant in WV

While WV Lawmakers dally and continue to fail to pass laws regulating and protecting West Virginians interests, in the Marcellus Shale industry, we continue to fall behind in reaping the benefits from one of our most valuable resources...

Texas company to build processing plant in WV

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Patrick DeBerry on August 22, 2011 at 11:57am
We have fallen behind farther than most people know. I talk to gas and oil industry types all the time and when I have asked why they hire so few WV folks their answer is always the same. They cannot find enough in state people with enough education and experience to fill the positions available. It's not enough to just show up and say "I want the job." You have to have the skill set to perform the tasks involved in being a productive employee. Also, you have to be able to pass a drug test. Apparently this requirement challenges many of our residents. So, blame lawmakers and whoever else you choose to but, the only thing standing in the way of West Virginia reaping the benefits of this Marcellus shale boom is West Virginians.
Permalink Reply by JMS on August 22, 2011 at 1:04pm
Well said!
Permalink Reply by Todd Charles on August 25, 2011 at 12:49pm

Patrick

My son and many of my friends children are very educated and more than academically qualified for almost any job in the Marcellus Shale Gas Industry  - BUT - without exception, "job" postings require 10 years in-field experience - to even place an application.  Just how is any of our citizens going to qualify for any of those positions - in an industry that hasn't even been in our state for half of that time ?

My son and many others. live and work out of state - because, with the exception of digging coal, they cannot find work in West Virginia to support them, their families, repay their costs of education and provide the quality of life - that other states do.

Our legislators could make mandates for these companies that if they are going to be drilling and taking our natural resources - and are benefiting from incredible tax breaks and shelters (while makng billions from our gas & oil) - then they must educate, train and employ a percentage of their work force from West Virginia.

Rather than importing out of state workers - and exploiting West Virginia's lack of experience in these fields - they could be training them, instead.

...and nowhere is it more critically obvious that some of our West Virginians would be far more qualified and better prepared to work in this industry than in the amount of fatal and damaging brine truck and rig accidents - due to drivers unfamiliar with our narrow, mountainous country roads. Hiring local drivers should be mandatory - as a matter of highway and human safety.

As to drug testing - I'm all for it - but I also know many an educated, upstanding West Virginian who has succumbed to drug addiction, when they could not find life sustaining employment - or lost their good job to cheap foreign labor - and could no longer provide for themselves and their families. Many of them had paid thousands for an education - that has totally failed them for anything other than coal mining - in this state.

I don't know where you are from, Mr DeBerry, but I don't find your stereo-typical, apathetic attitude toward West Virginian's to be either accurate or very charitable. I, and many other parents, haven't educated our children to flip burgers, or provide lawn service or house cleaning - for the out of state work force of the Marcellus Gas and Oil Industry - but to take their rightful place among them.

Sincerely,

Todd's Mom, Kit

 

 

Permalink Reply by Patrick DeBerry on August 26, 2011 at 10:13am
Kit, I think I'll just put you name in the moderately disagree with column (:
Permalink Reply by Todd Charles on August 26, 2011 at 4:50pm
DEAL !  Patrick...  lol
Permalink Reply by Finnbear on August 27, 2011 at 9:17am

So many issues here - where do I start? I'll address a few that are near and dear to me.

Go ahead and add more and more government regulations, mandates, requirements, and layers of bureaucracy to any industry and watch the companies go elsewhere to do business.

It is less expensive and time consuming for energy producers to bring in experienced people who are ready to do the job than it is to set up training programs in every new oil and gas play. Roughnecks in general tend to be willing to travel, it is the nature of the oil and gas industry.  If you owned a business that was moving into a new market (geographically), why would you spend a lot of time and resources training local people when you could just hire experienced people who already knew the business, could be productive immediately, and were willing to move at the drop of a hat to the next place that their skill set was needed? You go into business to make a profit, and if it is more profitable to import experienced employees, then it would be a poor business decision to do otherwise. Oil and gas is a transient business in that it moves from one "hot" play to the next. Either that or go out of business when the area you are in plays out.

If the local trucking industry is better qualified to drive for the O&G industry in WV, then they need to better market their skills and abilities to the energy companies. If they can prove they will be less costly/more productive than imported drivers, the O&G companies will hire them in a minute. Seems like poor communication more than anything.

It sounds like your son actually learned something in his education experience - get an education and go to where there are jobs that you are willing and able to do. For that I commend him. Many don't ever come to that level of maturity or self realization. In NE Ohio, we used to build most of the tires in the US and many people in the area never got past that when the rubber shops closed up and moved elsewhere. Instead of reinventing themselves with new skills or moving to where the jobs went, they chose to wallow in self-pity about how the world was so bad to them. I know this personally, I'm related to quite a few of them. I find it repugnant to know that some of my relatives were personally responsible for driving Firestone out of Akron. In my day job I deal with plant managers every day and the overwhelming theme in what they tell me about employment is that there are too few qualified employees and too many unqualified applicants who have no marketable skills, poor attendance,  or can't pass a drug test.

As far as drug tests go, I am all for them too. Taking drugs to escape your problems is a choice and when you make any choice, you MUST be willing to accept the consequences of that choice. If you become addicted, then you are to blame, not the drug, not your problems, but you for choosing to do the drugs in the first place. Choices and consequences - my wife the teacher and coach preaches that all the time to her students and athletes.

Permalink Reply by Matt on August 28, 2011 at 2:36am
Have any of you people worked constuction for dominion?  You need a 2 hour training course that they provide. That's it. Ive done electrical work at hastings, west union and jane lew. While i was there i observed a general contractor who hired people off the street to do the work. There are people in this area that can do the work theres just some contractors not willing to take on a job this size.
Permalink Reply by Jim Litwinowicz on August 28, 2011 at 3:03am
I am sure there are plenty of people in WV fully capable of doing the work but will need a lot of supervision. Building an entire new plant is different than upgrading or maintenance work on existing plants.   It is better to have people that have done this before but they will be able to work with a certain amount of new people. It is my belief that they will hire some local people but will bring in probably 3/4s of what they need. That would be the most efficient way of doing it.  They will also hire a lot of local subcontractors for certain aspects like site work, access roads, utilities, and more. Add in professional services like legal, permitting, environmental compliance, etc.  Then, after it is up and operating, the workers will be local because they will not commute from Texas. And this plant will spin off many other jobs from suppliers, truckers, and companies that use the products produced by it.  WV will have plenty of people that benefit from this plant. Don't sweat the fact that not every job will be done with local talent.
Permalink Reply by craig on August 28, 2011 at 3:53am

If what you say is true in WVA about 10 yrs experience required, then things are completely different there than in Pa. I personally know 2 guys that have landed jobs, one on a rig and another with a fracking company. Both have never ever worked in the gas/oil industry, both received training from the cos. and they both are bringing home in excess of $600/wk after taxes starting out. I suggest those looking for a job there look abit harder.

 

Make mandates, and you will drive away these companies....and I wouldn't blame them for leaving. 

 

Permalink Reply by Todd Charles on August 28, 2011 at 7:16am

You all make good points.  I guess I just want more for the youth of our state than digging coal - I think the Marcellus natural gas is an industry of the future, that could bring our youth back.

The "problems" here are many fold. While my son is certainly willing to take a roughneck or driving job - just to get his foot in the door - as soon as his academic/employment resume is presented (and his work records are perfect in attendance and performance) - these are the positions they offer him - for which he is not qualified for by experience.  So far, no one is willing to offer an "apprenticeship" or entry level position...

5 yrs experience...

CAD Tech

ECO Tech

...and here is an available jobs listing from "Indeed.com" - sent to him from his resume qualifications :

So - he either fudges and omits his education, to apply for a roughneck rig position - or be over qualified and unexperienced - the solution is not simple...

Permalink Reply by Jim Litwinowicz on August 28, 2011 at 7:31am

Have your son go to  http://www.shalenet.org or http://marcelluscoalition.org/  They have listings of companies hiring.

 

Also, have him contact local state employment agency, community colleges and trade schools.  Many offer 4 to 6 week training classes for gas wells.  Many of the students get hired before even completing classes. These jobs start at $60,000/yr. But if he can't pass a drug test, don't waste his or the company's time.

 

Its hard work, long hours, all weather, and away from a lot. But it pays great.

 

I heard of one guy, 19 yrs old,  that dropped out of college after two  months, got hired by a drilling crew at $65,000/yr three years ago.  He has been promoted three times and will gross over $100,000 this year. He will probably be making $150,000/yr in  a few more years and retire at 45 if he invests properly. If I were only 20 yrs younger!!!  : {

Permalink Reply by Todd Charles on August 28, 2011 at 8:15am

Thank you, Jim,

Todd has worked hard in the family construction business, operating heavy equipment since he was 10. When he left home, his father had to hire 3 men to replace him. He has always worked in a bonded position and been subjected to drug testing, all his adult life - and never a problem. He has never been absent/ tardy or terminated from any employment - in fact, when ever he has changed employers, they have always tried to make him stay. He has a BA in Ceramic Engineering.

We will check out the links you posted - and thank you, again for them.

Sincerely,

Kit

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