Venture Global Training Program Will Benefit Plaquemines Parish Students
Venture Global LNG, the company with plans to build a liquified natural gas export facility on the west bank of Plaquemines Parish, La., has announced a partnership with Delgado Community College and local government agencies and the school board to launch a “Will to Skill” program in the parish.
The program, whose inaugural class is already underway, will provide students with the opportunity to earn a National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) certification. Delgado will administer the training program, which will be offered both at the Plaquemines Parish Learning Center in Port Sulphur and at the Plaquemines Parish Government Complex in Belle Chasse.
The first cohort of 19 students will receive training toward a NCCER Electrical Level 1 certification. The program is fully funded by a grant from Venture Global LNG, with no financial cost to participants. Students are able to choose between a 12-week night class option at the Port Sulphur site and a nine-week day class format in Belle Chasse.
According to the announcement from Delgado Community College, Venture Global LNG hopes to launch a second cohort later this year and potentially broaden the program to include courses in other high-demand trades.
“Venture Global is excited to make this community investment in the residents of Plaquemines Parish, who have welcomed us since we began developing the Plaquemines LNG export facility,” said company CEOs Mike Sabel and Bob Pender. “We view the ‘Will to Skill’ program as an important opportunity to help revive local Louisiana economies. We hope that by bringing these training opportunities home to Plaquemines Parish, students will have the skills, both technical and soft, to successfully compete in the job market.”
Kim Tubré, director of corporate and community development and continuing education for Delgado, said the partnership with Venture Global LNG and Plaquemines Parish reflects the school’s commitment to improving Southeast Louisiana through job training.
“This training is a partnership that exemplifies what the Delgado Workforce Division promotes,” Tubré said. “Our team builds professionals by enhancing industry growth for employers to retain, upgrade and attract a skilled workforce for our region.”
Less than a month ago, Venture Global LNG received regulatory approval to begin site preparation work for the Plaquemines LNG facility. Once complete, the Plaquemines Parish plant will have an annual export capacity of up to 20 million metric tons, with operations expected to commence in 2023. The company is also building an export plant in Cameron Parish, La., south of Lake Charles.
