MARIETTA – The Washington County Career Center for Adult Technical Training unveiled 16 new pieces of chemical operator training equipment on Wednesday, meant to provide better and more training for local students.

This innovative technology was part of an Appalachian Regional Commission matching grant obtained through the Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District.

“Our previous equipment was older, and there wasn’t enough of it. This grant opportunity not only allowed us to update our technology but also to expand capacity and serve a wider range of students,” said Derrick Lemley, industrial and customized training manager at the career center. “Now, more students can be trained in the Mid-Ohio Valley with the intention to be employed in the area at plants like Kraton and Solvay.”

The total project cost was $234,539 with $115,000 being funded by a state grant which the school matched. Bret Allphin, development director at Buckeye Hills, said the intent is to be able to train 50 or more students with the grant’s one-year term.

“This was one of our priority projects at Buckeye Hills,” said Allphin. “It has been a great partnership (with the career center); they have done a great job with the investments they’ve been given. We enjoy helping to provide opportunities with real world, hands-on training to students like those at this school.”

Buckeye Hills, which is a local development district designated by the Appalachian Regional Commission, receives federal funding to which the organization can allocate toward high-priority projects in the area.

This is the second time Buckeye Hills has funded the chemical operator program; the first was for $110,000 in 2013. Chemical operators, upon completion of the range of short-to long-term courses, perform routine lab functions, handle materials and control and monitor processes that produce chemicals. Job placement for current and prospective students is high with continual growth expected.

“Placement out of last year’s program was very strong. Increased retirement of employees at local plants is one of the things fueling new hiring,” said John Moore, industrial training coordinator at the career center. “With the new oil and gas plants coming up locally, we can expect even more job openings for chemical operators in the near future.”

Those in attendance at an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday included employees from 14 area companies, alumni of the adult technical training program and members of local and state grant-funding sectors. After opening remarks, groups were able to see live demonstrations of each new piece of equipment as well as ask questions of instructors.

The ability to provide practical, applicable training for the field is just one of the reasons for the excitement about the grant-funded gear.

“It has transformed our program. I was a training manager at DuPont for 12 years; if I had had these types of tools it would have been so much easier,” said Lemley.

Also formerly a chemical operator, Lemley said what makes this equipment unique is that it is glass, so what is actually happening within the system can be shown to students.

Beyond training potential employees, the chemical operator lab equipment allows for customized training at plants for those already employed that may need additional, or updated, training.