The job opportunities associated with the natural gas drilling industry reach well beyond the rigs.
"Things like surveyors are a real key skill for us," said Mark Scheurman, chairman of the Marcellus Shale Coalition Workforce Committee. "Other activities such as landscape architects, truck and trailer driving and repairs."
That's exactly what the juniors and seniors at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center spend their days doing: working on diesel trucks, a skill that may be even more in demand real soon.
"This will probably be one of the center programs of the Marcellus Shale," said John Zehentbauer, MCCTC director. "We see a lot of trucking coming out of that. A lot of heavy repair coming out of that."
Other programs at MCCTC will also be in demand once research is complete and drilling actually begins.
"Also the electricity, and there's a lot of electrical work involved in these drill operations also," said Zehentbauer. "We see our power equipment technician, our precision machining class."
A recent Penn State study estimates Marcellus Shale could generate 88,000 jobs in Pennsylvania alone.
"I think this opportunity is wonderful for the Valley as a whole because it's going to bring new job opportunities," said Jackie Kuffel, MCCTC Career Development supervisor. "High skill, high wage jobs, which our students are able to jump on that opportunity and be a part of that."
