HOUSTON (March 29, 2011) – Mayor Annise Parker and Lone Star College System (LSCS) Chancellor Dr. Richard Carpenter signed two memorandums of understanding (MOU) today in Brazil.

The first MOU creates partnerships between LSCS and PANGEA, The Houston Supply Chain and Logistics Institute, and Escola Politécnica da UFRJ (“POLI”), one of Brazil’s top public universities.  It includes faculty, student and intellectual capital exchange to provide education and training in Brazil specific to the oil and gas industry.

Under the second MOU Brazilian-based Centro de Excelência em EPC will partner (The Center for Excellence in Engineering Procurement and Construction) with LSCS and PANGEA to develop relationships with Petrobras, Brazil’s national oil company, and other Brazilian companies to train deep-water drilling personnel.

"Houston has a wealth of expertise within its higher education community that is integral to growing our position as a city that is leading the way in new technology and workforce development," said Mayor Parker.  "This time, it is about growing the oil and gas industry.  Each meeting and agreement finalized on this trade mission is aimed at creating jobs and bringing dollars back home to Houston."

“Lone Star College has many workforce training programs and credit career tracks specifically designed for the trade skills needed in the oil and gas industry that is taking off here in Brazil,” said Dr. Carpenter. “Through these new partnerships, we have a tremendous opportunity to come together with these universities and companies with the intellectual capital to help provide key oil and gas training programs – whether they are upstream, mid-stream or downstream jobs.”

The training in Brazil will be funded by the companies involved and LSCS will be seeking state workforce development grants to fund local training in Houston.

College officials said that in addition to working with Petrobras, the agreements include a working relationship with the International Association of Drilling Contractors.

A number of U.S. companies currently have operations off the coast of Brazil and are intensifying their investments there – FMC Technologies reported today that it had signed a 4-year, $1.5 billion agreement with Petrobras to supply pre-salt subsea equipment for use offshore Brazil in water depths up to 8,200 feet.

Locally, LSCS continues to work with these multi-national corporations based in Houston to identify their workforce needs in Brazil and identify training to better develop workers here and in Brazil to help fill those needs.

“Lone Star College will continue to maximize these opportunities of exchange to support the growth of this industry in Houston and in Brazil,” said Dr. Carpenter.

PANGEA, The Houston Supply Chain and Logistics Institute, is a nonprofit group founded in 2009 in Houston that “leverages a significant concentration of global expertise and experience in the Energy industry available in Houston, Texas, with opportunities in the industry abroad, initially targeting the Brazil market.”

The group’s advisory board includes Dr. Carpenter, LSCS; Renato Tadeu Bertani, co-founder of the Brazil-Texas Chamber of Commerce and president and CEO of BARRA ENERGIA; Roger Norton, Texas A&M University,  executive director, Office of Latin American Programs; Sarah (Sallie Kay) Jones, San Jacinto College, vice president, continuing and professional development; and the University of Houston College of Technology.

LSCS and Lone Star Corporate College has also recently brought together key leaders of 30 major oil and gas companies to form The Chancellor’s Global Advisory Council, which is helping to steer the program and service decisions at the college system.

Mayor Parker's trade mission to Brazil is being organized and funded by the Greater Houston Partnership with the support of the Brazil Texas Chamber of Commerce. This economic development mission is focused on providing access, opportunity and information to Brazil, South America's largest and most dynamic economy and a leading Houston trade partner. The trip includes high-level visits with government, industry and business leaders in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

With 75,000 students in credit classes, and a total enrollment of more than 90,000 which includes trainees from the customized corporate training classes, Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, and the fastest-growing community college system in Texas. Dr. Richard Carpenter is the chancellor of LSCS, which consists of six colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, LSC-Tomball and LSC-University Park, five centers, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.