The Dow Chemical Co. will expand the Dow U.S. Apprenticeship Program to include two Louisiana manufacturing facilities, Louisiana Operations in Plaquemine and St. Charles Operations in Hahnville, in 2016.
As 10/12 Industry Report details in a feature from its latest quarterly issue, the program is targeted toward men and women interested in pursuing careers as instrument electrical technicians, process technicians or millwrights.
In addition to the two Louisiana locations, the Dow sites participating in this program include Freeport, Bayport, Lone Star, La Porte and Seadrift in Texas; Pittsburg, California; and Midland, Michigan. In 2015, Dow hired 50 apprentices who are currently training for roles as instrument electrical technicians or process technicians.
Through a partnership between Dow and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, these apprentices will work toward their associate degree while acquiring three years of world-class training and on-the-job experience. During this time, the apprentices will have their tuition funded by Dow, and they will receive a competitive salary that increases incrementally over their tenure in the program. Upon completion of the program, apprentices will be evaluated for employment opportunities at Dow.
Dow’s first class of apprentices in Louisiana will start work this fall. The company expects to hire approximately 20 apprentices in 2016, training participants as chemical process operators, instrument electrical technicians and millwrights. Dow’s apprenticeship program will supplement existing company-sponsored training programs for those technical specialties.
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