BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Companies investing in the Rio Grande Valley anticipate high demand for workers that may exceed 9,000 jobs, according to seven large employers attending a Workforce Summit held May 23 at the Port of Brownsville.
Initial demand will be driven by three proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants. The companies are set to receive their Federal Energy Regulatory Commission permits and commence construction within the next three years. During the construction phase these companies estimate a need for more than 6,000 workers alone.
Two current companies at the Port of Brownsville along with two other potential tenants listed the need for an additional 3,000 workers in several full-time and temporary positions.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for our workforce. The jobs are going to be plentiful, they’re going to pay well, but we need to educate and train our current workforce to take those jobs that are going to become available,” said Pat Hobbs, Executive Director of Workforce Solutions Cameron County.
To create a general picture of the labor force needs and training required, representatives from Rio Grande LNG, Annova LNG, Texas LNG, Andalusian Energy, Big River Steel, Keppel Amfels and International Shipbreaking, Ltd. met with local trade schools, universities, and economic development corporations to outline job categories, timelines, numbers, skills and certifications needed.
In turn, community organizations had an opportunity to ask questions, and outline the talent and qualifications of the workforce in the Rio Grande Valley. The region graduates a great number of qualified and prepared engineers who are forced to leave the area due to the lack of jobs in their respective careers, according to Veronica Gonzales, Vice President for Governmental and Community Relations at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Valley electricians and welders shared similar challenges.
The workforce summit was hosted by the Port of Brownsville, the Texas Workforce Commission and Workforce Solutions Cameron. Before the summit, guest employers sat down with TWC Chair Ruth Hughes in a private meeting to outline future challenges of fulfilling workforce needs and find matching state grants or aid.
“We have a lot of different reasons why people have jobs, take jobs, keep jobs and we want to make sure we address all of them and that we really help people succeed in Texas,” Hughes said. “We really think that that’s our miracle the way that competing companies and competing EDC’s, competing schools can come together and train a workforce so that there’s enough for everyone to go around and our grants will help and assist in reaching some of those goals.”
The summit will elect a steering committee and schedule future gatherings to continue to unite stakeholders.
More than 60 representatives from various trade schools, universities, workforce development and economic development organizations met at the Workforce Summit held May 23, at the Port of Brownsville.
Representatives from Rio Grande LNG, Annova LNG, Texas LNG, Keppel Amfels, International Shipbreaking Ltd., Andalusian Energy, and Big River Steel met with Texas Workforce Commission Chair Ruth Hughes to discuss workforce needs and grant training opportunities offered by the state.
Representatives from Rio Grande LNG, Annova LNG, Texas LNG, Keppel Amfels, International Shipbreaking Ltd., Andalusian Energy, and Big River Steel met with Texas Workforce Commission Chair Ruth Hughes to discuss workforce needs and grant training opportunities offered by the state.
More than 60 representatives from various trade schools, universities, workforce development and economic development organizations met at the Workforce Summit held May 23, at the Port of Brownsville.
