Lone Star College-University Park dedicates Energy and Manufacturing Institute

Lone Star College-University Park News

Published on: May 01, 2014 The new 70,000 square-foot Energy and Manufacturing Institute (EMI) will be dedicated at a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on May 14. The building, located on the campus of Lone Star College-University Park at 11521 Compaq Center West Drive, will be a hub for high-tech workforce training in energy and manufacturing.
Houston, the worlds energy capital, accounts for more than 30 percent of oil and gas jobs in the United States. According to Lone Star College Chancellor Richard Carpenter, companies in the energy and manufacturing sectors face a shrinking pool of trained employees as they forecast employment projections. Professionals working in the industry also require extensive retraining in order to maintain technology and safety standards.
To meet training demands for a skilled workforce, said Carpenter, Lone Star College partnered with the sectors across the region to develop the Energy and Manufacturing Institute.
According to Dr. John Galiotos, Dean of the Energy and Manufacturing Institute, training developed by Lone Star College in collaboration with industry partners will prepare EMI students to enter the workforce as well as to advance careers.
EMI will set a new standard in the education and training of a highly-skilled workforce, said Dr. Galiotos. The institute will concentrate on a strong foundation in scientific and engineering concepts emphasizing exposure to real-world lab and industrial processes and equipment.
Costa Thanos, a student in EMIs field service technician certification program, recently obtained a mechanical assembly position at National Oilwell Varco. I highly recommend the program, he said. The one-on-one teaching and the hands-on training through EMI prepared me for the high-tech demands of the job.
Construction began in March of 2013 on the two-story building and decorative concrete and zinc panels with large expanses of glass now gracing the exterior. EMI will provide five state-of-the-art classrooms, 28 labs and two simulation rooms equipped with industry-standard equipment and software. Students will learn ...

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