LyondellBasell's Adopt A School Program Helps Build Workforce

HOUSTON, TX — It's no secret that interest in manufacturing occupations has dipped, forcing some American corporations to rely on labor overseas. However, LyondellBassell's Houston refinery is working with area school districts to hopefully reignite an interest in trade occupations.

Cesar Segovia, an electrical specialist with LyondellBassell, recalled a visit he had eight years ago with LyondellBasell and Austin Industrial staff members who visited with students at Galena Park High School to share information about the Adopt a School program.

"The entire experience was life changing," Segovia recalled. "Hearing the benefits of that program helped me secure an opportunity along a career path and in an industry I didn’t know anything about, and therefore never even considered. It not only helped me get where I am today, but it also helped for college."

The Adopt a School program is a collaborative educational cooperative between LyondellBasell’s Houston Refinery and Austin Industrial that offers part-time employment to high school students in Pasadena and Galena Park ISDs. The students, who must meet certain criteria to take part in the program, gain valuable technical skills by working in professions such as boilermaker, welder, pipe fitter and electrician.

"The goal of the program is to encourage careers in technical fields and help fill gaps in the skilled labor workforce," said Anna Diaz, LyondellBasell Houston Refinery ‘s Adopt a School program founder and maintenance administrator.

Diaz said the demand for skilled workers, particularly in many industries in the Houston area, are high and likely will be for many years. Employers in the Houston area need to hire 75,000 additional skilled workers each year to keep up with the current pace of growth, according to numbers from the Greater Houston Partnership.

"There is demand for workers with a technical skill set that will continue increasing as the current workforce ages and retires," she said "Ultimately, it is a win-win; the students get to see and experience different jobs in a variety of areas, and we have the opportunity to boost our skilled workforce by reaching out to these talented teenagers early."

Since 2007, the Adopt a School program has introduced hundreds of high school students to the refining and construction industries, and about 45% of the students who participate in the program are employed through Austin Industrial to perform work at LyondellBasell or other companies in the industry.

Edwin Portillo, a former Galena Park ISD student and current materials technician at LyondellBasell’s La Porte Complex, said he learned about Adopt a School through one of his teachers and success has followed him ever since.

"If I had not joined the program I would have been working a dead-end job without learning any trade or skill," Portillo said. "I'm thankful for the program and how it has shaped my life. Once I graduated from high school, LyondellBasell hired me and worked around my college schedule. I recently earned my associates degree, am starting on my bachelor’s degree and just closed on my first home."

The LyondellBasell refinery is committed to investing in the Adopt a School program for 2019 to help strengthen career and technical education in the community.

Before students join or hear about Adopt a School, many of them aren’t aware of the opportunities in the refining and construction industries, said Maggie Sosa, who heads up the program with Diaz and is an analyst for the refinery’s maintenance and reliability team.

"The best thing about Adopt a School is it reaches students who otherwise would be traveling a very different path," Sosa said. "It's extremely rewarding to provide life-changing opportunities to students and watch them step into a worthwhile career via our program."

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