OREANDA-NEWS.  October 29, 2014. Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) announced the launch of the Appalachia Partnership Initiative, a USD20 million effort, designed to address education and workforce development in 27 counties across southwest Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia and eastern Ohio.

In coordination with founding partners, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and RAND Corporation, the initiative marks the beginning of a long-term regional commitment to improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and further develop a highly-skilled workforce for area energy and manufacturing industries.

"Chevron is committed to building lasting relationships and creating prosperity in the Tri-State area and in every region where we operate," said Rhonda Zygocki, executive vice president of Policy and Planning for Chevron Corporation. "Our success is deeply linked to the region's progress, and we are proud to launch this long-term initiative to address critical STEM education and workforce development needs in the Tri-State area."

The initiative, which was developed through extensive discussions with education and workforce development experts, aims to address opportunities and challenges detailed in a recent Carnegie Science Center study through the development of new programs and expansion of existing regional education and technical training partnerships.

Chevron, as part of a broader  USD 130 million education pledge since 2011, is also announcing new local commitments to education and workforce development that include expanding partnerships with and investments in:

Project Lead The Way: Chevron will expand its existing partnership with Project Lead the Way (PLTW) to further build STEM programs in area K-12 schools through curriculum resources, hands-on science learning and teacher training. Since 2013, Chevron has funded the launch of 10 programs in four school districts in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Initiative funding will expand to support nearly 20 PLTW programs in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio in 2014-2015.

ShaleNET: Chevron will work with ShaleNET, a workforce training program for the oil and natural gas industry, to provide scholarships to students at four community colleges in the Tri-State region. The partnership will also develop integrated workforce education programs through curriculum resources, supply chain connections, post-secondary training programs and skilled trade certifications.

Carnegie Mellon University: Chevron is funding development of an Energy Lab at Elizabeth Forward and Bethlehem Center school districts, working in conjunction with graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center who are developing interactive science curricula that will teach middle school students about a variety of energy resources.

"Chevron is playing a much-needed leadership role in looking not just at jobs, but at the underlying need for enhanced STEM education and training for the region's energy workforce," said Dennis Yablonsky, chief executive officer of the Allegheny Conference. "This initiative is a big opportunity for all of us who care about the region's students, workers and economic prosperity, and we are proud to join with Chevron and its partners to support programs that will help us capitalize on economic opportunities made possible by the strength of the energy sector in our regional economy."