Gas compression company donates scholarship funds to OSU-Okmulgee

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Helping students through college is one way to fill the need for more field service technicians in the natural gas compression industry.

Recently, J-W Power Company provided a check for $3,000 to the Natural Gas Compression program at Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee. The company said the university may use the money for scholarships for students.

J-W Power District Manager John Mennig said his company selected this campus for the donation because of high program quality and J-W Power’s involvement with OSU-Okmulgee since 2000.  It is their first direct scholarship contribution.

“This is the only place in Oklahoma where students are taught to be field service technicians in natural gas compression,” Mennig said.  “The quality of education and training is tops, and the students perform very well as interns or employees. We want to encourage their good efforts.”

J-W Power Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of J-W Operating Company, is considered an industry leader in the leasing, servicing, fabricating, and sales of natural gas compression equipment. It operates the largest privately owned compression fleet in the United States, with compressors ranging in size from 18 to 2,650 horsepower. In addition, J-W Power builds custom compressor packages for sale or lease.

Mennig said he would like to hire five field technicians in his district. 

“I’m one of four operating districts, so there are three other districts that are hiring," he said. "I would say in our company today we have 10 slots available to put field service technicians to work if we had them right now.”

OSU-Okmulgee is known for its hands-on technical education, world-class equipment and active partnerships with industry. Degree programs are developed according to emerging educational and labor market needs. Seventeen programs of study lead to Associate in Applied Science degrees, three programs of study lead to Associate in Science transfer degrees, and three to Bachelor of Technology degrees - Information Assurance and Forensics, Instrumentation Engineering Technology and Civil Engineering Technology. 

Through frequent advisory board meetings, corporate partners make significant contributions to curriculum, faculty improvement, equipment acquisition, student internship experiences, and employment opportunities for graduates. OSU-Okmulgee also promotes economic development among small Oklahoma firms by providing training and assistance with technology deployment, financing, bidding and purchasing procedures.