Sherry Koonce
Fluor Corporation is readying to make good on the company’s plans to hire local people to work on Total’s Deep Conversion Project.
The new Fluor Employment and Training Facility was feted with a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting ceremony Thursday — a signal that the company is about to begin training staff.
Fluor was awarded a $1.9 billion contract for engineering, procurement and construction of Total’s Port Arthur refinery. Fluor is contracted to build a coker, a desulfurization unit, a vacuum distillation unit and other related infrastructure for Total’s $2.2 billion expansion.
Flour plans to utilize a combination of their own people — for self-perform construction — and contractors to complete the job, Jim Wenzel, construction manager with Fluor, said Thursday at the ribbon cutting ceremony
Wenzel said Fluor had committed $34 million to use local contractors and suppliers.
To make good on Fluor’s desire to hire local labor, the company will offer craft training at it’s new facility, 3734 U.S. 69 North, Beaumont.
Wenzel said the company planned to use a combination of contractors and self-perform workers to complete the Total job.
Industrial Safety Training Council, a contract company officed in the training center, will assist in the hiring process. ISTC will take applications, perform background checks and orientation safety training.
At one end of the facility, training for welding will be offered.
“This is for welders who either want to improves their skills or for those who want to become welders,” Wenzel said.
Flour will need 750 to 1,000 craft employees. The facility is set up to train 20 to 30 people at one time, and many of those will already be hired by Flour. They will be attending the training after hours, probably for 3-4 days a week for about a six-month period.
At the other end of the building, training for a variety of positions will be offered.
“We’ll be offering training for anything from laborers to welder craftsmen,” Wenzel said. “You can come in and not know anything about refinery work and be a laborer, or enroll in training to enhance skills you already have.”
Flour’s office hours for hiring wil be 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Wenzel said the facility would begin training in about four weeks.
For more information call 409-726-8503.
