May, 2008  - The Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) granted program recognition to the Chemical Technology-Process Operations Option Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree at Brazosport College. Brazosport College received program recognition under the TSSB’s replication policy by adopting the skill standards-based curriculum of the first TSSB-recognized process technology program at College of the Mainland. The program was recognized as being integrated with the Chemical/Refining Process Technician Skill Standards.

The skill standards enhanced program, which was endorsed by its industry advisory committee, will benefit both employers and graduates. Graduates will gain the work competencies—skills and knowledge—that employers have agreed are required for success in process technology positions. Employers in turn will gain a more qualified workforce.

The Chemical/Refining Process Technician Standards define the knowledge and skills that are required for entry-level process technician employees across the chemical, oil, and gas exploration and production and power generation industries. The standards were developed by the Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance (GCPTA), an industry-driven alliance of employers and educators of process technicians, in collaboration with the Center for the Advancement of Process Technology and the College of the Mainland, with funding from the National Science Foundation.

The Chemical/Refining Process Technician skill standards were developed and validated by technicians representing major Texas employers, such as Albemarle Corporation, BASF FINA, British Petroleum Exploration and Production, Celanese, Chevron Phillips, CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Dupont, Dow Chemical, Eastman Chemical, ExxonMobil, Marathon Ashland Petroleum, Shell Chemical Company, Baker Energy, and others. The skill standards are available for viewing on the TSSB web site at www.tssb.org.

The effort to pursue TSSB Program Recognition was initiated and led by Gary Hicks, Chair of the Physical Sciences and Process Technologies Division at Brazosport College, who integrated the skill standards into the Chemical Technology-Process Operations AAS Degree program. Mr. Hicks took advantage of TSSB resources and technical assistance to integrate the skill standards into the curriculum. Examples of the application materials submitted by Brazosport College staff for TSSB Program Recognition are available in the Community and Technical Colleges and Employers and Industry Groups sections of this web site.

For more information, please contact Anne Dorsey at tssb@io.com or 512/936-8100.