HOUSTON (Feb. 13, 2017) – Women interested in working in the petrochemical and industrial skills industries are encouraged to attend the Women in Industry 2017 conference that takes place Feb. 17 at the South Shore Harbor Resort in League City.

The conference is hosted by the Community College Petrochemical Initiative (CCPI), a partnership of nine public community colleges in the Texas Gulf Coast region along with a number of high-profile corporate sponsors.

“Petrochemical refineries need to replace as much as 40 percent of current employees over the next decade because of plant expansions and an aging workforce,” said Linda Head, LSC associate vice chancellor Workforce Education and Corporate Partnerships.

The one-day event is designed to introduce women to the careers and opportunities available in the petrochemical and industrial skills industries, career fields long dominated by males but now open to women.

“This conference is geared for all women — those unemployed or underemployed, high school or college students, veterans – who desire a well-paying career,” said Christy Ponce, CCPI chair. “There are plenty of challenging, well-paying career positions available in the Upper Texas Gulf Coast region – and refineries and contractors are looking for trained women to hire.”

Last year’s attendees included high school students, women seeking challenging and better paying jobs, and women already in the field looking to advance in their career path. Corporate sponsors for the event include: ExxonMobil, Lyondell Basell, BASF, Chevron Phillips, INEOS, Noltex, East Harris County Manufacturing Association, Zachry and Jacobs.

The CCPI is a partnership of nine public community colleges along the Texas Gulf Coast collaborating to advance the mission of community college education, train the region’s workforce and enrich the student learning experience. They enroll more than 150,000 students in credit courses and 60,000 students in non-credit Continuing Education and workforce courses.

Click here to register for the Women in Industry Conference 2017. Registration is $10 per person.

Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 95,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of $3.1 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.