| Show 1 Role L vital t l say sa s di director 2 Centers Center's future tip tied to energy business The ROOSEVELT expansion of energy development in the Vintah Uintah Basin further emphasizes the need for voca- voca vocational vocational education outside the Utah's higher education system Director Keith Bergquist believes the Vintah Uintah Basin Area Vocational Center can help fill the energy industry's labor pool as demonstrated by the success of its Petroleum Technology program The need for a local facility to handle job training will soon become evident as the shale oil industry begins to expand It is isan isan an industry that will concentrate itself entirely In the three three state state region of nor nor- northeastern northeastern Utah and adjacent parts of Col- Col Colorado Colorado orado and Wyoming Bergquist noted Subject of controversy He said the control of vocational centers and whether they are actually needed has become a subject of concern and even controversy among state education officials Many feel vocations can be better taught at the states state's two two- year and year four colleges The Uintah Basin Vocational Centers Center's Petroleum Technology program recently won a first place certificate of achieve achieve- achievement achievement ment award from the US Department of Education for an state eight area Bergquest said a consideration for the theaward theaward award is how closely Industry works with the program Bergquist said nearly a third of all jobs In the Uintah Basin relate to the oil in- in industry industry and the Industry helped get the ball rolling roiling for the Petroleum Technology program OU shale program An oil shale technology program can be a natural outgrowth he added If the White River Shale Oil Corp project starts operation as planned In 1987 he added well have a 24 to 36 month head start to get into an oil shale technology program State and federal agencies can make impact aid available as a result he said It takes a big Investment to start a pro pro- program program gram he added And in the case of energy projects the vocational center would have to start a program without the jobs being available yet Sometimes you have to be opportunistic and look ahead of time said Bergquist Power plant training An example is the Deseret Generation and Transmission Cooperative Bonanza power plant The vocational center has hasa a training program for operational employees even though the plant will not go into operation until late 1984 Once construction starts you have 24 to 36 months lead time Bergquist said generally speaking Youre not gambl- gambl gambling ing on that the constructions construction's underway The oil shale Industry has been tough to figure however because of starts and stops with various projects in the past five years The center gets calls from outside the area about progress of development oil shale all the time he said Mining facilities begun The White River Shale Oil Corp has begun construction of mining facilities at its site southeast of Vernal while a hand hand- handful handful ful of other projects walt wait for financial backing to begin Bergquist agreed that his facility could very well become an energy vocational center with heavy emphasis on energy As the energy busbies expands however the need for other vocations will increase se seas as the population Increases he added |
