CCBC President to Speak on Panel at Northeast U.S. Petrochemical Construction Conference

Pittsburgh, PA – Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) President, Dr. Chris Reber, will serve as a panelist at the 2017 Northeast U.S. Petrochemical Construction Conference June 19-20 at the Sheraton-Station Square in Pittsburgh.

The topic of the panel discussion is “Readying the Next-Generation for Careers in Advanced Manufacturing & Petrochemicals.” Other panel members will include Dr. Jim Denova, Vice President of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation; Mary Murrin, Social Investment Team Lead for Chevron USA; and Joseph Minnitte, External Relations Advisor for Shell Chemicals.

The panelists will explore the role of community colleges, business and government in providing the next generation with the education and support needed to fully leverage the new opportunities and jobs that will come with a sharp uptick in regional manufacturing activity and downstream facility operations and maintenance.

“Preparing for the ethane cracker plant, and addressing the training needs of Shell Chemicals and other industry partners, is priority #1 for CCBC,” said Dr. Reber. “Participating in this conference is an opportunity to share information about our programs and partnerships, and to network with the over 400 industry thought leaders, contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, and other petrochemical peers throughout this two-day event.”

The 2017 Northeast U.S. Petrochemical Construction Conference will examine the rebirth of the petrochemical corridor along the Ohio River and showcase development of oil and gas reserves in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio in the Marcellus and Utica shale territories – potentially the most prolific gas-dominated play in the country in years.

The overall theme of the 2017 conference will examine the building blocks for the current and planned second wave of mega petrochemical projects in the Northeast United States. The agenda will focus on discussions and analyses of how the region’s transport and feedstock infrastructure will be built up, strategies for successful project execution, the best way to assemble a supply chain for employers, and the best way to win a place in one for contractors and manufacturers.

“We have a fantastic line-up of speakers and attendees confirmed for our 2nd annual Northeast U.S. Petrochemical Construction Conference,” said Theo Larn-Jones, Project Director for the Northeast U.S. Petrochemical Construction Conference and Expo. “We are very pleased to have representation from Shell Chemicals, Braskem America, Covestro, Shell Pipeline Company, Bechtel, Fluor, and, of course, CCBC.”

Additional topics will explore the need to create a skilled workforce. Representatives from CCBC’s Workforce and Continuing Education Division and School of Business, Arts, Sciences, and Technology will also be on-hand in the exhibit hall to share information about the College’s training programs and career pathways such as process technology, engineering, STEM, and other areas.

CCBC President Chris Reber will participate on a panel at the Northeast U.S. Petrochemical Construction Conference on the topic of how community colleges, business and government can partner to provide the education and support needed to fully leverage the new opportunities and jobs coming to the region.