GRANVILLE — The Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program (OOGEEP) recently award a record number of scholarships to students pursuing careers in the oil and gas industry. 56 students representing 19 universities, colleges or technical institutes received this industry funded annual scholarship.
Blair Wilson, of Sidney, was one of the students to receive a scholarship.
Winners must have an energy career goal and be either an Ohio resident or attending an Ohio university, college or technical institute. A committee made up of oil and gas industry professionals judged the students on career goals, essays, letters of recommendation, academic achievement, awards or special recognitions, community service and other outside activities.
“These students are the future of our industry and it’s an honor to assist them as they work toward a meaningful and rewarding career,” said Frank Gonzalez, GonzOil and Chairman of the OOGEEP Scholarship Committee. “There are a variety of career opportunities in Ohio for these students and it’s exciting to watch as they become leaders who will provide efficient and reliable local energy for decades to come.”
With the average age of an oilfield worker nearing 55 years old, Ohio’s oil and gas industry has made workforce development and education a priority. OOGEEP recently completed a multi-year project to identify the 75 careers available in Ohio’s oil and gas industry and the more than 70 Ohio institutions that offer qualified training in those careers.
“The scholarship awards demonstrate the industry’s commitment to help develop the next generation of Ohio’s oil and gas industry,” said Rhonda Reda, OOGEEP Executive Director. “These are the best and the brightest students and we look forward to the day when we work with them, not as students, but as industry peers who will explore, develop and produce the energy resources that are crucial to our state and nation.”
With these awards, OOGEEP and Ohio’s oil and gas industry has now awarded more than 250 scholarships to students from 99 Ohio hometowns in 48 Ohio counties. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years and funding is made possible by special industry training proceeds, memorial contributions and general donations from Ohio’s oil and gas industry.
