Terry Kirkpatrick joins Coastal Bend College in providing instruction to oil and gas industry

Coastal Bend College adds oil and gas industry basic orientation to its list of continuing education and professional development courses. Terry Kirkpatrick, a safety trainer and consultant, joins the college bringing over 23 years of experience in the industry with him.

Kirkpatrick is a retired Conoco employee. He worked as a pipe operator, inspector, facility manager and safety manager. He has 12 years of experience transporting hazardous liquids; 13 years of experience in pipe lines operations and safety; and five years of facility management experience. He is certified for SafeLand, OSHA 10/30, First Aid CPR/AED, H2S Beyond Awareness and customized training. He is an independent instructor certified by PEC Premier to teach basic orientation safety awareness courses, including lock-out, confined space, respiratory protection, terrorism response awareness, emergency response and Hazwoper.

“Oil and gas companies want to know that people have a generic and broad spectrum of knowledge when they come in for employment in the industry. New employees should be introduced to the hazards of the job and, at least, be able to minimally recognize hazards,” Kirkpatrick said. The orientation that he provides is accepted by several large firms as their basic orientation package.

“A lot of times, you’ll have a mix of people new to the oil industry and seasoned veterans,” he explained. Kirkpatrick works with oil and gas companies to ensure that the types of training address the needs of particular groups. Training is held at the college or in an on-site mobile unit.

Glynis Holm Strause, CBC Dean of Institutional Advancement said, “Some small companies can’t afford to hire contractors to come and train employees or have trainers on site at all times. Some can not afford to shut down operations to train the entire workforce. The flexibility that we are now able to offer addresses the needs of the industry as they were presented to us.” Mobile trailers used as site classrooms were purchased by the college last year with a charitable donation from Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. The $25,000 award helped to outfit the rolling classrooms and furnish an on-site classroom used for professional development.

“We’ve spent six months looking for someone with his credentials,” Strause said. “Kirkpatrick is very knowledgeable in his field and we are happy to be able to partner with him to serve the industry.”

Kirkpatrick as a safety trainer increases the availability of training and also makes it possible to do on-site training throughout the Eagle Ford Shale region. He is a qualified OSHA compliance inspector and works with oil and gas companies on managing employee training. His instruction is primarily awareness training, however in-depth and customized training is also available through the college’s continuing education program.

One of Kirkpatrick’s pet peeves is ambiguity. He works with companies to make sure that the training matches the job. “Not all people need all training,” he explained. “We’ve had problems in the industry where because of ambiguity, people have had to be retrained because they got the wrong training in the first place. That costs money and the training has to be redone.”

Those who receive training through Coastal Bend College will have access to transcripts that document their professional development and certifications. In addition to earning a credential card that states that they have been trained in “SafeLand Basic Orentation,” participants will have a permanent record at the college.

Coastal Bend College is a comprehensive, public community college serving a diverse South Texas area. It is a student-centered institution committed to the highest integrity and to the development of an educational culture that supports creativity, encourages professional development, and promotes excellence in all areas.

For more information about the professional development in the oil and gas industry, go to http://www.coastalbend.edu/ce or call Glynis Holm Strause at (361) 354-2447.

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