Chemical/Refining Process
Technician
TSSB-Recognized Skill Standards March 1,
2005
Background
The Center for
the Advancement of Process Technology
(CAPT), along with its various alliance
partners, including Alaska Process Industry
Careers Consortium, California Chemical
& Process Technology Alliance, and many
others from around the nation, and working
through a National Science Foundation
grant, developed the Chemical/Refining
Process Technician skill
standards.
The skill
standards were submitted for recognition to
the TSSB in January, 2005, by the Gulf
Coast Process Technology Alliance (GCPTA)
on behalf of its industry partners in
Texas. GCPTA is an industry-driven
non-profit organization of community
colleges and industry and an active member
of CAPT.
Development
CAPT recruited
an Industry Technical Advisory Committee
(ITAC) made up of all major chemical and
refining employers in Texas such as
ExxonMobil, Valero Refining Company, Shell
Chemical Company, BP Amoco, and Chevron
Phillips
The ITAC chose
to use the DACUM (Developing a Curriculum)
method to conduct a job analysis to
collect, synthesize, and organize job data.
The ITAC selected subject matter experts
(SMEs) that would represent diversity in
company size and in geographic and
demographic areas of the state. During the
overall DACUM process over 300 contacts
with business and industry were made. The
DACUM information was aggregated and
work-related skill standards information
was defined over the course of several
focus group sessions with SMEs. Sessions
were conducted using teleconference and
other communication methods. Online editing
and teleconferences with SMEs ensured a
consensus-based output from the
process.
The skill
standards developed through the SME
sessions underwent vigorous validation
during a series of on-site focus group,
telephone, and internet feedback sessions.
Session participants were invited based on
the need to assure that demographic
distributions were fairly maintained. The
companies that responded to the invitation
were classified according to size and other
criteria. Sixty seven (67)
operators/technicians from sixteen (16)
regions in the state with the heaviest
concentration of chemical and refining
companies participated in the validation
process.
Importance to
Texas
The petroleum
industry is one of Texas’ leading
industries. According to the state’s
labor market information system, and to
reports from industry spokespersons, a
shortage of qualified technicians has
become a concern for industry conferences
across the country.
Between
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
(SOC 51-9011), Chemical Plant and System
Operators (SOC 51-8091), and Petroleum Pump
System Operators, Refinery Operators and
Gaugers (SOC 51-8093), state labor market
information data suggests that the number
of jobs is expected to remain level at
approximately 30,000 jobs. However,
occupation data indicates that these
occupations suffer from high turnover and
that approximately 1,000 openings occur
each year as a result of replacement. The
long-term population of workers in these
occupations is approaching retirement and
industry conferences struggle to fill
openings left by retiring workers. The
projected high number of retirements over
the next four to six years is expected to
create a critical shortage of process
technicians within the petrochemical, oil
and gas production, and pharmaceutical
industries.
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