Marathon Petroleum Corporation Foundation presented a $273,838 check to the Foundation for El Paso Community College (EPCC) at a press conference held at EPCC’s Advanced Technology Center at the Valle Verde Campus.
This funding is for a grant that will be used to create the Marathon Petroleum Corporation High School to College Transition Program in Welding Technology which is designed to addresses the regional need for trained, qualified and certified welders. This new initiative is a collaboration between EPCC, the Ysleta ISD Career Center Welding Program at Riverside High School and Marathon Petroleum Corporation.
This program will provide students a clear pathway to transition from Ysleta ISD’s Riverside High School’s welding program to El Paso Community College where they are able to earn additional welding certifications or an associate’s degree. Marathon Petroleum Corporation has had a leading role in creating this critical opportunity and investment in our region. They have provided guidance on curriculum, shared important expertise on industry standards and qualifications needed by students to be career-ready. In addition to the financial support to buy the industry-standard equipment needed to train students, Marathon Petroleum Corporation employees have committed their time to serving as mentors to students preparing them to enter industry with the highest quality training, safety awareness and professional career expectations.
“This investment reflects Marathon Petroleum’s priority to improve lives in the communities where we operate. We strive to create measurable impacts through shared value and partnering with organizations like El Paso Community College where we can make a positive difference together,” CP Patsatzis, El Paso Refinery General Manager. “We are honored to be a part of this workforce development program that has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of its graduates.”
EPCC President Dr. William Serrata described how the expertise of Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s employees combined with EPCC and YISD faculty create a powerful crossroads between education and the real world. Collaborating with business and industry partners provides critical learning opportunities where students are able to mix technical knowledge, business acumen and vocational training in a combination that leads to success. The jobs of the future are going to require some sort of degree or certificate and this program will ensure that students can easily transfer from high school to college and graduate with a degree or certificate that help them become career ready. “Opportunities like these are the pathway to the middle class for our students and their families. It is also a clear pathway to strengthening our region’s workforce and economy,” Serrata said. “We thank Marathon Petroleum Corporation for their investment in strengthening education opportunities and their commitment to building our region.”
This initiative will support YISD and EPCC students with enrollment and guidance, industry-standard equipment and the mentoring support needed to excel. Graduates will become part of a strong network of well-trained and credentialed workers prepared to meet workforce demand in El Paso and the West Texas region. “We deeply appreciate the work of our partners at El Paso Community College and Marathon Petroleum, whose loyal support of Ysleta ISD has resulted in this new pathway to opportunity for students in our Career Center welding program,” said Ysleta ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Xavier De La Torre. “We look forward to working with Marathon Petroleum and EPCC to provide additional real-world career and technical training that helps our students successfully compete in a global workforce.”
The mission of the Foundation for El Paso Community College is to raise funds to support EPCC student success and college degree completion. “We are so grateful for Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s ongoing commitment to help students achieve their higher education goals and aspirations, Patricia Marquez, EPCC Foundation Board Chair, said. “With ongoing corporate generosity, the Foundation for EPCC will be able to contribute to building a thriving El Paso region where all individuals have access to learning to improve their quality of life and work prospects through education.
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