Gas Industry Funds Shale Scholarships for Vets
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio -- Teaming up with Stark State College in North Canton and Eastern Gateway Community College here, America's Natural Gas Alliance has donated $50,000 for scholarships through the ShaleNet program. The scholarships are intended to help Ohio veterans interested in careers in the natural gas industry.
At roughly $1,300 per student to cover the cost of their books, tuition, and training, the $50,000 will provide help for up to 40 veterans. After they successfully complete the ShaleNet program, veterans will be prime candidates for the many high-paying jobs in the natural gas industry, Eastern Gateway officials said.
Ohio veterans interested in a new career as a roustabout, welder's helper or floor hand are invited to visit the website below and register for ShaleNet training. The average hourly wage for the shale gas industry is $23.16, America’s Natural Gas Alliance says, significantly more than the average pay for nonshale related production, professional and business-services workers, which range from $13.10 to a high of $22 per hour.
To qualify, veterans must provide a DD Form 214, have a valid driver's license and pass a criminal background check as well as drug and physical fitness tests.
The outlook for Ohio veterans is particularly promising, the alliance says. The shale gas industry in Ohio supported 31,462 jobs in 2010, a number projected to increase to 81,349 by 2035. Similarly, by 2035, value-added economic output should increase to $7.92 billion, because of the work of thousands of Ohio veterans trained for a career in natural gas.
ShaleNet is the result of a grant funded by the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.
America's Natural Gas Alliance is a trade organization representing 26 of North America's largest independent natural gas exploration and production companies.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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