BASF’s TECH Academy introduces Louisiana high school students to technical careers
GEISMAR, LA, July 13, 2023 – Eighteen area high school students recently completed BASF’s TECH Academy – a week-long educational and workforce development program hosted at River Parishes Community College (RPCC). TECH Academy encourages students to learn more about technical and craft careers through experiments, demonstrations, field trips and interactions with industry professionals. Since 2015, 186 students have completed TECH Academy in Louisiana.
"At BASF, we value being part of our local community and engaging with young people who are preparing for their futures,” said Jerry Lebold, Senior Vice President and General Manager of BASF’s Geismar site. “TECH Academy is a great opportunity for students to learn about the many manufacturing-related career options available to them right here in Ascension Parish.”
The group of rising high school juniors and seniors participated in field trips that reinforced skills needed in technical disciplines for several potential career roles, such as a process technician, instrument technician, welder, pipefitter, drafter, and more. The students toured multiple technology-rich facilities that helped further educate them on career opportunities. The facilities included BASF’s site in Geismar, along with the sites of TECH Academy partners including Forte & Tablada, Triad Electric and Controls, GEO Heat Exchangers and NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility.
“TECH Academy helped me see the potential career options I have,” said Tariq Hudson, rising senior at St. Amant High School. “It helped me figure out what I’m interested in and may possibly make a career out of after or during my tenure in the Air Force.”
TECH Academy is part of BASF’s workforce development efforts in North America to support industry growth and investment in the region. BASF’s manufacturing operations require a skilled workforce to construct, operate and maintain chemical production facilities across the region.
“BASF’s TECH Academy in collaboration with RPCC is a great opportunity for high school students to connect and learn about emerging technologies and career opportunities," said Quintin Taylor, Chancellor of RPCC. "Having students on campus learning and sharing information from professionals in the field while engaging with our faculty provided a real time glimpse into the careers that await them. I look forward to welcoming these students as college freshmen at RPCC and throughout their careers as they work to reskill and remain forever relevant in the changing workforce.”
TECH Academy is funded annually by BASF and is completely free for students. The application process is open to any Ascension Parish Public Schools student or child of a BASF employee or contractor rising to their junior or senior year of high school with interest in technical careers. Students who complete the program also are eligible to apply for BASF scholarships to pursue technical degrees or certifications to attend RPCC.
The following students completed TECH Academy 2023:
St. Amant High School
- Tucker Bourgeois
- Jarrad Brown
- Dayton Bush
- Tariq Hudson
- Addison Humphrey
- Mason McCreary
Dutchtown High School
- Drake Anders
- Miguel Brown
- Jacen Hill
- Morri Lacour
- Wesley Pinion
- Brenden Watson
East Ascension High School
- Anthony Comeaux
- Abigail Reed
- Elijah Reed
Central High School
- Michael Tidwell
Woodlawn High School
- Nicholas Sweet
Smackover High School
- Dixie Machen
For more information about careers at BASF and jobs available in Louisiana, visit http://www.basf.us/la.
About BASF
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America and had sales of $25.7 billion in 2022. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 111,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €87.3 billion in 2022. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.
