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Want a quality education and even more industry-specific certifications that will put you ahead of the competition?

Lackawanna College’s School of Petroleum & Natural Gas can provide you with both. Students who attend the School of PNG will soon be able to earn up to 20 industry certifications specific to the energy field while they pursue their associate degrees or certificates.

“Our School of Petroleum and Natural Gas is the only one of its kind in the nation and is well known for providing a hands-on education that prepares students for successful careers in the energy field,” said Lackawanna College President Dr. Jill Murray. “The additional certifications students can obtain makes a Lackawanna College graduate even more desirable to local employers. At Lackawanna College, our instructors care about preparing students to be successful not only in college but for the rest of their lives.”

Sue Gumble, program manager with the School of PNG, said the certifications are vital when working in the energy industry.

“It gives our graduates an edge on the competition when applying for jobs,” Gumble said. “Our graduates are already sought after by employers with most of them already having job offers even before they graduate. By getting these certifications as well, our students will be even more desirable because employers won’t have to get them certified in those areas after they’re hired.”

Instructors with the School of PNG use equipment to teach students about different industry standards so they can then test for the certification.  For example, students can earn certifications in areas such as workplace safety, precision measurements, torque and electricity.

Graduates can also come back to the school and get the additional certification training so they can take the tests as well.

So far PNG students earned a total of 134 certifications.

The certifications students can currently study and test for include: PEC Veriforce Basic Orientation, PEC Veriforce Hydrogen Sulfide 4hr Clear, Red Cross Adult First Aid CPR AED, OSHA 10 Construction, 596F Multimeter, PMI 1 – Tape and Rule Measurement, PMI 2 – Slide Caliper Measurement, PMI 3 – Gauge Measurement, PMI 4 – Angle Measurement, PMI 5 – Micrometer Measurement, PMI 6 – Dial Gauge Measurement, Fundamentals of Electricity – AC (Festo), Fundamentals of Electricity – DC (Festo), Torque Application and Procedures, Mechanical Torque, Electronic Torque and Ariel Online Basic Training

The School of PNG offers several different educational paths for students interested in the oil and natural gas field.

Lackawanna’s associate degree in Petroleum & Natural Gas Business Administration prepares students for future roles in administration, finance or marketing within the field.

The Petroleum & Natural Gas Technology associate degree prepares students to take on jobs as lease operators, operations technicians, measurement/electronic technicians, compressor technicians, compressor/engine mechanics and pipeline technicians.

Lackawanna also offers certificates in Petroleum & Natural Gas Technician and Petroleum & Natural Gas Compressor/Engine Mechanic, for those who already have a degree and would like additional training.

The School has a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1, which means students get more individualized attention. They also learn in high-quality lab facilities and work directly with equipment to get hands-on experience.

Before graduating, students get real-world experience through internships with major oil and gas companies.

The industry needs qualified workers. Statistics show the energy sector will see about 50% of its workforce retire in the next five to seven years. Entry-level graduates can earn as much as $61,000 a year.

The School of Petroleum & Natural Gas is housed at Lackawanna College’s Tunkhannock Center.

Learn more about the School of PNG and enroll today. It’s never too late or too early to start thinking about your future. Visit the School’s webpage to learn more and apply today to start your new career.  Petroleum & Natural Gas | Lackawanna College