Since the 1990s, Merit Shop Training, Inc. (MSTI) has been proud to partner with the Brazoria County Petrochemical Council (BCPC) to support the development of a highly skilled, safety-conscious local workforce. This long-standing collaboration reflects a shared vision between MSTI, BCPC, and the local industrial community—one that values workforce readiness, safety, and long-term economic growth in Brazoria County.
The roots of this partnership go back to a time when local industry leaders recognized the growing need for a sustainable and skilled workforce. Their solution was to establish and support a non-profit organization—MSTI—that could serve contractors, workers, and the broader community. With BCPC’s backing, MSTI became a hub for workforce training, development, and recruitment across the petrochemical and construction sectors.
BCPC has been instrumental in shaping MSTI’s path, particularly through the innovative “cents-per-hour” community funding model. This program, developed and driven by BCPC, created a sustainable funding stream that allowed MSTI to expand training opportunities, upgrade facilities, and continue delivering affordable, high-quality education to local craft professionals. The result? A stronger pipeline of safe, skilled, and job-ready workers prepared to meet the ever-evolving demands of our industry.
BCPC and MSTI continue to work hand-in-hand through the BCPC Workforce Development Committee and the Career Signing Day Committee. These collaborative efforts have had a measurable impact on the lives of local students and the future of our workforce. In just a few short years, Career Signing Day has helped more than 400 high school seniors transition directly into full-time employment with local contractors and industrial employers.
Career Signing Day is more than just a celebration—it’s a statement. It shows that careers in the skilled trades are meaningful, respected, and essential to our local and national economies. MSTI and ABC Texas Gulf Coast are proud to share this model with other ABC chapters across the country, helping to elevate skilled trades and replicate the program’s success in other communities.
We’re proud to stand with BCPC in building a brighter future—one student, one worker, and one opportunity at a time.
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association representing more than 23,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 68 Chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work.
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