Galveston College to Host 2024 Women In Industry Conference on April 3

GALVESTON, Texas – Galveston College – along with eight other community colleges which comprise the Texas Gulf Coast Community College Consortium – will host the 2024 Women In Industry Conference on Wednesday, April 3, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. CT. Now in its seventh year, the Women In Industry Conference will attract more than 1,100 high school girls and women who want to learn about careers in petrochemical, construction, avionics, biotech, and IT industries. The conference will be held at the Moody Gardens Convention Center located at One Hope Boulevard in Galveston, Texas.

In addition to Galveston College, the consortium includes Alvin Community College, Brazosport College, College of the Mainland, Houston Community College, Lee College, Lone Star College, San Jacinto College and Wharton County Junior College. Representatives from all nine colleges will be available at the conference to discuss education and training programs, financial aid, student services and career services.

ExxonMobil, Worley, Phillips 66, Chevron Phillips Chemical, OXY, The Chemours Company, Olin, Turner Industries Group LLC, LyondellBasell, Arkema, Shell USA, National Center for Construction Education and Research and Workforce Solutions are confirmed sponsors as of Feb. 1, 2024.

“We encourage high school girls and women to join us for this conference. High school and college students, U.S. military veterans, and women in transition who are seeking high-demand and well-paying careers will learn about opportunities in traditionally male-dominated industry sectors,” explained Vera Lewis-Jasper, dean of technical and professional education at Galveston College.

In addition to morning and lunch keynote sessions featuring leaders from ExxonMobil and Worley, the conference includes breakout sessions that run from 9:15 a.m. until 12:20 p.m. Exhibitors will welcome attendees throughout the day.

“This popular event typically is sold out weeks in advance,” said Sharon Pagan, student success advisor at Galveston College, adding that the conference is affordable, with a registration fee of only $25 per person. This fee includes breakfast and lunch.

Registration is now open. To register, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-women-in-industry-conference-tickets-754080654537?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsorship opportunities are available starting at $5,000. Sponsor benefits include exhibitor space, marketing exposure, access to potential employees, and networking with industry professionals, among others.

“The Women In Industry Conference is growing the pipeline for women to enter STEM careers,” said Carla Thompson, workforce development manager, western region for Turner Industries Group, LLC. “Turner Industries believes that supporting women wanting to enter our industry and opening pathways is very important. This conference gives us the opportunity to introduce ourselves to women from high school, community colleges, employment seekers and other organizations in Texas looking for information about petrochemical careers.”

Lewis-Jasper is available to share positive feedback from past sponsors and to discuss 2024 sponsorship opportunities. Please contact her at vlewis@gc.edu or 409-944-1404 for more information.

To access the sponsorship packet, please visit https://www.gulfcoastcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2024-wii-sponsorship-opportunities-packet.pdf.

Positive Impact: Comments from Past Participants

“Young women who are interested in a career within this industry (petrochemical refining) can speak to people like me and others who hold various positions in this industry. Limitations that exist are the ones that we accept. Work hard. Don’t let stereotypes define you.”

– Chrystal Davis, process shift team lead and first line supervisor at the ExxonMobil Olefins Plant in Baytown, Texas

“Women have the ability to bring a different perspective into the workforce that hasn’t been there traditionally. The way we do work in construction is going to have to change to meet the demands, and I think it’s an opportunity for women to come in and truly make a difference and contribute.”

– Amanda Knost, president of North America West and Gulf Coast for Worley

“I met a lot of great people at the Galveston College Women In Industry Conference. My favorite part was the speaker sessions because all the women were awesome. They had experiences and a lot of challenges that they had to go through to get where they are. They were open minded and told us that we have somebody that is willing to help us and to just not give up. They are all very strong women and very inspiring to me.”

– Shirley Rivera, a 2023 conference attendee

For more information, please visit https://www.gulfcoastcc.org/event/2024-women-in-industry-conference/.

To watch the 2023 Women In Industry Conference video, please visit https://youtu.be/Qd7e5Uq19mE.

About Galveston College

Galveston College was founded in 1967 and is a comprehensive community college providing the residents of Galveston Island and the surrounding region with academic, workforce development, continuing education, and community service programs. For more information, please visit https://gc.edu/.