This week, Energy in Depth and the American Petroleum Institute (API) held an event to thank the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 18 for their leadership in working to maximize its membership’s opportunities in Ohio’s growing oil and natural gas industry.  Local 18 represents heavy equipment operators in Ohio such as crane, bulldozer and road pavers.

The organization has seen an increase in business due to the development of the Utica Shale – an increase that has led Local 18 to participate in numerous jobs fairs in order to fill their ranks in response to the growing demand for skilled workers in the energy industry.  Using their 4 training centers around the state, the organization now has a training program in place to supply the oil and gas industry with the heavy equipment operators to build roads, well pads, and construction sites.

The event was held at Local 18’s Akron office, and treated more than 125 people to a meal, presentations on oil and gas, and a raffle for a natural gas grill.  Patrick L. Sink, Business Manager for Local 18, opened the event explaining to members the importance of the shale play to their organization.

In an Akron Beacon Journal story on the event, Sink emphasized the benefit Local 18 and the oil and gas industry provide each other.  While Local 18 will get work and high-paying wages from the industry, they provide a high-skilled labor force:

Without question, Local 18 is motivated and excited to support the thousands of long-term, high-paying jobs that will be created from Utica shale development in the Buckeye state. It is our goal to help build and develop a work force that will meet current and future demands. (Engineers union saluted for work in oil-related jobs, 11/12/12)

After Rebecca Heimlich of API and Energy in Depth’s own Mike Chadsey thanked the members and leadership for their incredible efforts to take full advantage of Ohio’s burgeoning oil and gas industry, the two presented an “oil and gas 101” presentation.  They touched on the history, technology, and practices and processes involved in development to give the crowd a better understanding of Ohio’s incredible geological gift in the Utica Shale.

Last week, Energy in Depth sat down with Primo Panzarello, Organizing Director & Business Representative for Local 18 for our “Sunday Shale Show” series.  In the interview, Mr. Panzarello stated that Local 18 shares the same priority as the oil and gas industry: safety.  The seventy-three year old organization’s 15,000 members will be an asset to the industry because of their skilled labor and training programs.

In case you missed it:

Our saying, our motto is ‘Safety is Our Target’. That is what we teach our people, everything they do is safety, safety safety. – Primo Panzarello, Local 18

There is a true partnership between organized labor and Ohio’s oil and natural gas industry. This is just one example of how Ohioans across the board are working to be in the best position possible to take full advantage of the great opportunities the continued development of the Utica Shale is bringing to our state.

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube !