Plant operator positions.

[Das Jared]

Hey guys, I am a college student, and am about to recieve an associates in general studies. I want to know more about what it takes to be a plant operator. What should i be doing, and looking for? I plan on attending welding school as well in the fall. Lay it on me.

sent from my dishwasher

 

[Ready.Fire.Aim]

Get a Process Technology associates degree. Brazosport College near you in Lake Jackson has a good program.

Also you could join the Navy. Qualifying as an Engine Room watch stander develops skills directly transferable to a plant operator position.

 

[Sugar Land]

Experience....lol

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

The military is an excellent way to get training and experience. But I recommend you go to a plant and just ask some supervisors.

 

[TundraWookiee]

Plants like DOW and BASF list their requirements right on their career pages but the majority of them essentially require an associate's degree with a few minor caveats. As RFA said, Brazosport College has a good program as well as Wharton County Junior College and most plants in the area will give preference to those with Process Technology degrees. If you have any specific questions after you look into things a bit more feel free to ask and I'll pass them along to my cousin since he's the chairman of the hiring committee at DOW Plant B in Freeport.

 

[Rangel]

Getting a job in a plant is hard without the Process tech degree. I know I've been trying for a couple years and have 7years experience in the industry. I've been considering trying to get it online, but I'm not sure if I can.

 

[Rangel]

I took the Exxon operator test at the end of may. I've heard horror stories about how hard it is and most people fail several times. I went in with a positive attitude and a prayer. And I passed!! Hopefully now I can use my contacts to secure a job.

 

[Das Jared]

Awesome! And just an update, I qm about to recieve my associates, and am now enrolled in the ptec courses at alvin community college.

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[Rangel]

I want to see about PTEC classes. But with my schedule now. I can't do traditional classes. Wonder if they offer online course.
San jac and Lee CC

 

[2slow]

Let me tell you guys, I work at motiva in port Arthur, the hr/ interview department here are looking for more of the 2yr instrumentation degree over the process operations degree. Reasoning being is they are both really the same a lot of the classes are the same BUT the instrument guy has knowledge of the way control loops and systems work. My recommendation would to get the instrumentation degree over the process operator degree

 

[Texasjack]

A lot of the operations crew where I work get hired from the contract maintenance crew. You could try Jacobs or Turner - they hire (and go through) a lot of people. They're not great jobs, but you'll get experience.

A BIG need in all plants is for instrument techs. More and more electronics are running units or gathering data for the operators. It's hard to find people who understand how to troubleshoot, maintain, and calibrate instruments. Do that and you can get a job.

Another place that's often hiring are leak detection and repair (LDAR) contractors. Again, they're not the best of jobs but you'll get to know your way around a plant pretty quickly.