Published: March 12, 2008 01:10 am      

College receives training grant

Navarro’s share of $2.4 million for oil and gas program

The new oil and gas technology program at Navarro College will be the beneficiary of one-half of a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The grant, announced Tuesday, is under the President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants Initiative. It was one of 69 such grants totaling $125 million awarded by the Labor Department. Navarro College’s application, filed jointly with North Central Texas College, was one of 341 that sought funding from the program.

“It was very competitive,” said Dr. Richard Sanchez, college district president.

“We’re sharing that with North Central Texas College,” Sanchez explained of the award. “It was a joint grant we did with them, because they have an oil and gas technology program as well. We’ll split it right down the middle.”

Sanchez said the funds will be used exclusively for the new oil and gas program at Navarro, a partnership between the college, XTO Energy and Encana Oil. The grant will go toward paying for instructors, program materials and equipment, he said.

Dr. Harold Housley reported to college trustees in February on the success of the new program. Housley said 30 students were enrolled in the college’s new oil and gas production curriculum, funded in part by grants from Encana Oil and XTO Energy. The 40 semester hour program, spread over three college semesters, is designed to prepare graduates for employment in the oil and gas production industry.

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Bob Belcher may be reached via e-mail at belcher@corsicanadailysun.com