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.