2nd Annual

Skills Gap Summit 2023

Navigating the perfect storm.

27th April 2023

Houston, Texas

Why attend?

A recent study revealed that nearly every manufacturer surveyed said that supply chain disruptions (89%) and skilled labor shortages (86%) impacted their ability to meet production demands.

Furthermore, by 2030, the labor shortage will cause nearly 2.1 million jobs to be unfilled

In the midst of the challenges of workforce attrition, turnover and recruitment, we’re bringing together industry leaders to discuss the impact of this on knowledge transfer and production issues. Should you join, you will leave the summit with a better understanding of manufacturing’s workforce development challenges and hear about best practices being adopted by leading companies to solve them.

What to expect?

Last year, Voovio hosted the first Skills Gap Summit in Southeast Louisiana bringing together manufacturers, academic institutions, thought leaders, associations, and other key players. All participants had the same objective: to enhance their workforce of today (and tomorrow) and ensure our industry’s competitiveness by building countermeasures to the skills gap challenges.

Presenters and participants included BASF, Tesla, ExxonMobil, Formosa Plastics, Halliburton, Dow, Baton Rouge Community College, SOWELA Technical College, Shintech, Westlake, Shell, Sabic, Plug Power, LyondellBasell and many more.

Building on last year’s event, the 2023 Summit agenda comprises the following themes:

  • How to utilize Digitalization to scale and meet higher growth demands in manufacturing.
  • Using adaptive skills that enable individuals to transform their abilities as their demands and environment change.
  • A panel discussion on approaches in forging partnerships with local communities to better recruit and retain talent.
  • Interactive Q&A to brainstorm and converge on solutions.
  • From the perspective of a Senior Leader of a major local manufacturer, how to charter, support, and integrate Diversity and Inclusion as an actionable initiative in addressing the skills gap phenomenon. 
Skills Gap Summit 2022 - Navigating the perfect storm

Who should attend?

  • SVPs, VPs, Plant Managers, Operations Directors, Unit Operating and Maintenance Leaders
  • Senior and Global Reliability and Maintenance Managers
  • Senior Health, Safety, and Environmental Managers
  • Site Workforce Development and Human Resource Managers
  • Site Learning and Development Coordinators
  • College Chancellors and Directors

When??

  • 27th April 2023
  • 8AM – 5PM

Where?

San Jacinto College
LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology

Skills Gap Summit 2023

Agenda.

Time

Activity

Speaker

07:30 – 08:30

Buffet Breakfast

All

08:30 – 08:45

Safety Pause and Conference Center Safety

David Gosnay – Manager, Training & Development LyondellBasell

08:45 – 08:55

Today’s Agenda

Fran Montemurro – Director of Operations, Voovio Technologies

08:55 – 09:30

Having the Right Skills

Operations/ Digital Transformation Leader, Major global chemical company

09:30 – 10:00

The Skills Gap in Gulf Coast Region

Chad Burke – CEO & President, Economic Alliance Port Region

10:00 – 10:15

Break

10:15 – 11:45

Recruiting, Retainment, and Upskilling
(Panel Discussion)

  • Dani Grant – HR Manager, Mitsubishi Chemical America, Inc.
  • Abbe Barr, Learning and Development Manager – Chevron Pasadena Refinery
  • David Gosnay – Training Manager, LyondellBasell
  • Rhodesia N. Lindsey, PHR, SHRM-CP – Director of Human Resources, Kaneka North America LLC.
  • Stacy S. Putman – Manager, Advocacy, Leadership & Workforce Development, Strategic Projects, INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA

11:45 – 12:30

Lunch

12:30 – 13:30

Panel Discussion Q&As

Engagement by all Participants

13:30 – 14:30

Needing to onboard and upskill in a high pace business environment

Tesla: Shane Osterbind – Cell Manufacturing Senior Manager
& Josh Ramirez – Cell Manufacturing Training Coordinator

14:30 – 14:45

Break

14:45 -15:45

How Severe is Your Skills Gap?​

Tabletop Exercise for Participants​

15:45 – 16:15

Facing the Skills Gap

Jason Cook – Director, Chemical Manufacturing, Halliburton

16:15 – 17:00

Closing the Knowledge Gap with Simulation & Closing Remarks

Voovio Technologies

Skills Gap Summit 2022.