A second summer at BASF’s TECH Academy helped Mateo Alvarez see a future for himself in the skilled trades.
The rising senior at Ascension Early College Option first attended the academy in 2025, and I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after high school. “After attending again this year, talking with the welding instructor at RPCC and seeing different places I could be a welder,” Alvarez says, “I am confident that welding is the career for me.”
Alvarez found that direction through a workforce development program that recently gave 26 Ascension Parish students hands-on exposure to technical careers supporting the region’s expanding industrial economy.
Hosted at River Parishes Community College, the program combines classroom instruction, hands-on training, facility tours and interaction with industry professionals. Since launching in Louisiana in 2015, more than 200 students have completed the academy.
The program comes as Ascension Parish continues to emphasize workforce development amid ongoing industrial expansion along the Mississippi River corridor. Major projects, including the planned Hyundai Steel facility and other manufacturing investments, are expected to increase demand for skilled workers in technical trades and process technology fields. Recent state workforce initiatives have also focused on strengthening career pathways between high schools, community colleges and employers.
“Developing the next generation of skilled talent is critical to the future of our industry and our community,” Andy Gutacker, senior vice president and general manager of BASF’s Geismar site, said in a statement. “Through our TECH Academy, we are investing in local students by providing hands-on experience, mentorship, and exposure to advanced manufacturing—helping them build the skills needed to succeed in tomorrow’s workforce.”
The participants, all rising juniors and seniors, explored career opportunities including process technician, instrument technician, welder, pipefitter and drafter.
Led by RPCC faculty, students received hands-on instruction in the college’s welding, electrical, instrumentation and process technology labs. They also trained using the college’s Process Equipment Trainer plant, which simulates real-world industrial operations.
In addition to classroom activities, students toured BASF’s Geismar manufacturing site and visited facilities operated by TECH Academy partners, including John H. Carter, Ascension Welding and Fabrication, and NASA’s Stennis Space Center.
BASF says the academy is part of its broader workforce development efforts across North America to help meet the skilled labor needs of advanced manufacturing and chemical production facilities.
“Our partnership with BASF is a great example of how education and industry can work together to build a strong local talent pipeline,” said Quintin Taylor, chancellor of River Parishes Community College. “TECH Academy gives students meaningful, real-world experience that enhances their education and positions them for long-term success.”
The program is funded annually by BASF and is offered at no cost to students. Eligible participants include Ascension Parish Public Schools students and children of BASF employees or contractors who are entering their junior or senior year and are interested in technical careers.
Students who complete the academy are also eligible to apply for BASF scholarships to pursue technical degrees and certifications at RPCC.
