Del Mar College to train 225 workers for new plant

The Texas Workforce Commission gave Del Mar College and partner M&G Chemicals a Skills Development Fund Grant of $214,940 to train new workers. The check was presented during a ceremony at the new plant's job site April 8. The sound of construction workers banging metal and the roar of work trucks driving by in the background set the stage for a press conference that included TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth Hughs. 
The group gathered at the M&G Chemicals construction site at 7001 Joe Fulton International Trade Corridor. M&G Chemicals is building the world’s largest PET/PTA (polyethylene terephthalate/purified terephthalic acid) plant in Corpus Christi. It will produce polymer used to create recyclable packaging containers. PET is a resin from the polyester family and used to manufacture plastics to package products like soft drinks, bottled water, fruit juices, cooking oil an condiments. PTA is the raw material used to make PET plastics. 
“Corpus Christi has a lot to be proud of,” Hughs told the small crowd of spectators and news media gathered under a sun shielding tarp, flapping in the wind. “You have an annual job growth rate of 2.1 percent and you have added 4,000 jobs over the last year.” 
The first 65 new employees hired by M&G begin their training at Del Mar on Monday, April 11. 
“These students will be working on cutting edge technology,” said Del Mar College President Dr. Mark Escamilla. “The timing couldn’t be better. M&G is not only welcoming new employees, it is launching phase 2 of its hiring campaign with 90 new positions.”
Anyone interested in applying can find a list of the jobs at mgcorpuschristi.com.
“We chose Corpus Christi because it has everything, including deep-water port access, interstate highways and excellent access to railroads,” said Jeff Shea, site manager for M&G’s Corpus Christi Facility. “Our site also gives us access to refineries that can provide raw materials for our product.”