Texas Workforce Commission awards BASF and Brazosport College Job-Training grant

FREEPORT, TX, February 24, 2014 – BASF Corporation and Brazosport College will use a $510,834 Skills Development Fund grant recently received from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to provide career-advancement training for more than 800 new and incumbent employees at six BASF sites in Texas.

“BASF’s ability to provide high-quality training is essential to maintaining safe, efficient operations and enhancing career-development opportunities for our employees,” said Chris Witte, Senior Vice President of BASF’s Freeport, Texas site. “This grant will provide resources to strengthen workforce development in Texas and ensure employees are well-prepared for a number of key job responsibilities.”

At BASF’s Freeport site, the grant will fund customized training for new and incumbent employees to  help them prepare for advancement opportunities within BASF in positions such as chemical plant technicians and  engineers. Courses will focus on workplace safety, emergency response, project management, computer skills and professional development.

The grant will fund 1,100 hours of job-skills for 788 incumbent employees and 40 new hires at six BASF sites in Texas: Freeport, Pasadena (three sites), Port Arthur and Houston.

“Skills grants deliver customized training solutions that help Texas employers and workers succeed in the marketplace,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “This investment builds not only employee skills, but also the capabilities of our community colleges to the benefit of employers and the community. We are pleased to make this investment.”

 For a press photo, please click on the following link: http://www.basf.us/pressphotos/02-24-14_TWCjobtraininggrant.jpg

Suggested caption: The Texas Workforce Commission recently presented a $510,834 Skills Development Fund Grant to Brazosport College in partnership with BASF Corporation. Pictured from left are Tommy Plummer, Training Coordinator, Southeast Texas for BASF; Andres Alcantar, Texas Workforce Commission Chairman; Dr. Millicent Valek, Brazosport College President; and Allen June, Leader for Human Resources at BASF’s Freeport, Texas, site.,.

BASF - The Chemical Company

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 16,600 employees in North America, and had sales of $18.5 billion in 2012. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of €72.1 billion in 2012 and more than 110,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com .