CLEARFIELD – The Marcellus ShaleNET coalition awarded both of Lock Haven University’s campuses, Lock Haven, PA and Clearfield, PA, to be ShaleNET training providers. The purpose of the ShaleNET grant is to create a comprehensive recruitment, training, placement and retention program for high-priority occupations and jobs in the natural gas drilling and production industry, specifically the Marcellus Shale industry. Lock Haven University Clearfield Campus, Clearfield County Technology and Career Center, and the Central Pennsylvania Institute are partnering to administer the ShaleNET curriculum for the Clearfield and surrounding counties.
Dr. Marianne Hazel, LHU associate provost and Clearfield Campus interim dean, shared, “We are ecstatic about becoming a Marcellus ShaleNET training provider. The impact of the Marcellus Shale industry is far reaching, and the LHU Clearfield Campus can play a significant role in training our local workforce. “We are pleased to be partnering with several organizations in our local communities and anxious to begin programs early next year to train our community members for the natural gas industry.”
“Lock Haven University is committed to preparing students to succeed in an increasingly diverse and technological world,” said Shannon Tyson, WorkForce Development officer for Lock Haven University. “Since 1990 we have steadily expanded our educational offerings by offering degrees at the Clearfield Campus and more recently at sites in Coudersport, Harrisburg, and on-line. We will focus our natural gas extended education programs on the unemployed, dislocated, incumbent workers, low-income workers, youth and veterans in the regions, to prepare them for jobs within natural gas related industries.”
“We’re excited about partnering with Lock Haven Clearfield in this endeavor,” said Lois Richards, executive director of the Clearfield County Technology and Career Center. “We anticipate that the training that we, as a consortium, are planning to offer will help fulfill the needs of the shale industry.”
Dr. Richard Makin, president of Central Pennsylvania Institute, stated, “We are pleased to join with Lock Haven University and the Clearfield County Career and Technical Center in expanding workforce training capabilities within the Marcellus play. ShaleNET provides us with an excellent framework to align programs between the three institutions to best serve students and the industry.”
Paul McCloskey, vice-president of Energy for the Clearfield County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) said, “The CCEDC is excited to learn about Lock Haven participating in the ShaleNET grant. Curriculum developed using these funds will undoubtedly prepare our residents for careers in the oil & gas industry right in our own backyards.”
There is a conference next month in Pittsburgh that will unveil which specific programs from the ShaleNET curriculum will be offered at the Lock Haven, PA and Clearfield, PA campuses tentatively scheduled to begin late winter or early spring 2012.
Anyone who is interested in receiving information once it’s available after the conference about ShaleNET programs to be offered at LHU Clearfield can go to www.lhup.edu/clearfield and fill out the information form.
This ShaleNET program is a result of a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Marcellus ShaleNET is a coalition between Westmoreland County Community College (lead agency) and Pennsylvania College of Technology, West Virginia Northern Community College, Eastern Gateway Community College in Ohio, and Broome Community College in New York. The ShaleNET website is www.shalenet.org.