Local Stories

Joann Ortiz - LMC PTEC Student

"I feel so fortunate to be involved in this new and exciting PTEC Program at Los Medanos College. The program was created by industry for the industry. They have combined expert instructors, computer simulation, hands-on labs and tours of plants in our area.

The instructors are sensitive to our needs and answer all of our questions. They want to make sure we comprehend all materials in order to operate safely and how to trouble problems when they arise.

This training will prepare us for careers in a variety of areas including; power generation, food and beverage, chemical wastewater treatment, oil production, pulp and paper, refining and pharmaceuticals.

I would encourage anyone who is good team player with proficient math, communications and analytical skills to take a closer look at this program."

Sergio Hernandez - LMC PTEC Student

"After reading about the PTEC Program and about the many opportunities it offers, I wanted to enroll in the classes at LMC.

The PTEC instructors are employees of the industry (I.e. Dow Chemical, Shell, Valero and Praxair) and they bring actual field expertise to the classroom.

I am learning about the role of the operator in the refinery and the many processes that go on there. I am learning about safety, health and the environment. I am learning about the individual units and how they work.

The distillation tower in the PTEC Lab is the most interesting piece of equipment to me. It amazes me how crude oil is broken down and separated into the many products that refineries make and provide to our society.

My hope as I graduate is that I will get not just a job, but a new career in the petrochemical industry."

Scott SechlerInstructor - PTEC Program

“Wow! That’s exciting!was my first response when I learned that Los Medanos College was putting together a Process Technology (PTEC) program. I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of it.

For the students, the curriculum helps to open doors to solid, well-paying careers as process technicians. It’s very rewarding to know that my efforts as an instructor help to position students for sound employment opportunities here in Contra Costa County.

The PTEC program attracts students with varied experience levels, backgrounds, and learning styles. This creates an intriguing challenge for an instructor. In each class, I try to tailor my communications and examples to best facilitate the students’ learning. There are many ways to convey information, but the more my presentation method is in tune with the class, the more apt the students are to gain a real understanding of the topic - and that’s exactly what we’re aiming for. Since every class is different, there’s always a new challenge.

I’m thrilled to be part of the PTEC program. The students are very engaging and they continuously generate great questions. In a given session, I find myself drawing on my experience in process design, quality, process control, plant start-ups, day-to-day production support, as well as my current role as an improvement project engineer.

What’s the best part of being an instructor? It’s the moment when a student first begins to grasp the concept at hand – you can see it in their face when “the light bulb goes on”. For me, that’s incredibly rewarding."

Scott has worked in the chemical industry for 15 years. He holds a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering and a Masters degree in Business Administration.

--"This project is an equal opportunity program and was funded in part by a grant awarded under the President's Community Based Job Training Grants, as implemented by the U.S. Dept. of Labor's Employment & Training Administration. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. The information contained in this product was created by a grantee organization and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. All references to non-governmental companies or organizations, their services, products, or resources are offered for informational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement by the Department of Labor. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it and is intended for individual organizational, non-commercial use only."