Facility merges education and industry

Employers and educators alike are making efforts to ensure an ability to fill Southeast Texas workforce needs in the near future.

According to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the Beaumont-Port Arthur metro area was one of the fastest-growing construction job markets in the nation during the past 12 months, despite widespread labor shortages.

AGC Vice President of Public Affairs Brian Turmail was on site at the construction zone of what is to become the new Nederland High School on May 3 and was enthusiastic about the opportunities NHS students will have at their hands.

Under the watchful eye and skilled hands of President Thomas Neild Jr. with HB Neild Contractors and Construction Managers, the new NHS campus is scheduled to go online in February 2024, featuring state of the art technology and training facilities in an effort to meet the needs of students desiring to enter a variety of career paths. In partnership with area employers, NHS students will have the opportunity to gain the training and certifications needed to enter the workforce right out of high school as welders, pipe fitter helpers, electrical apprentices, and many other high-paying skilled professions in high demand throughout the region.

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) wing will be the next phase of construction, where vocational training will be held including auto mechanics, welding, electrical, robotics, a simulated hospital room for healthcare classes, aiming to allow students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with their chosen work environment and learn in a hands-on setting. “We are the blue-collar capital of the world, and we have a partnership with Bechtel Corporation putting in a pipe fitters program so these kids can come out of Nederland High School and go straight to work for Bechtel as a first year pipe fitter, pipe fitter helpers or welders with pipefitting and welding skills,” said Nederland ISD Superintendent Dr. Stuart Keischnick. Our electrical program will allow students to go into the field as a first-year apprentice.”

“What the students choose to do does not matter to us, but our job is to make sure they have the skills and tools necessary to follow their chosen path,” Dr. Stuart Keischnick expounded.

It is evident that no expense has been spared when looking at the craftsmanship of the project, and with top of the line technology and classroom tools, Dr. Keischnick says that the goal is to achieve interactive and hands-on learning experiences during 60% of instruction time. The nearly 300,000 square foot educational complex is a result of the $156 million bond passed in 2019.

In addition to the efforts being made to reach the youngest working population, huge strides are being made to facilitate the connection of employers to the existing workforce.

Alysha Hill and Workforce Solutions of Southeast Texas announced onsite that a Spring Job Fair will be held on Thursday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bob Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur. Featuring more than 85 major employers, the event will host an opportunity for job seekers to interview on-site and make industry connections. In addition to job opportunities, Lamar State College Port Arthur and several other training entities will be present to offer their services to attendees.

“As demand for construction grows here and in many other parts of the country, more firms are having a difficult time finding enough qualified workers,” Turmail, said. “Yet, contractors in Beaumont are showing the rest of the industry that there are ways to recruit more people into construction.” 

Turmail noted that the BeaumontPort Arthur metro area added 2,100 new construction jobs between March 2022 and March 2023, a 12% increase. The AGC spokesman further divulged that this area added more construction jobs than all but 18 of the 358 metro areas tracked by the association. There are currently 20,100 people working in construction in the Beaumont Metro area, up from 18,000 in March 2022.

Although construction is expanding in most parts of the country, firms are having difficulty filling positions because many older workers are retiring and too few young adults are considering high-paying careers in construction. Turmail said this recent phenomena is a shame, since construction jobs pay, on average, nearly $34 an hour, and tight labor conditions make it relatively easy for job seekers to find career opportunities in the industry.

“It is a great time to be looking for career opportunities in construction in Beaumont and across the country,” Turmail said.

For more information about the association’s workforce development efforts, visit workforce.agc.org. — Barbara Davis