Plaque unveiling, “ArcelorMittal Millwright Lab” naming recognizing company’s investment in students, training programs targeting Coastal Bend’s workforce needs Article by Melinda Eddleman Their role is important for any employer who has mechanical equipment as part of their operation. These technicians “keep things running,” and many industrial-related employers across the Coastal Bend need these specialized employees to stay in business. Who are they? They’re millwrights or industrial machinists. And they fix it all––ranging from pumps, steam turbines, gas turbines, wind turbines, gear boxes, blowers, fin fans and valves to mixers, conveyors, power plants, hydro-electric generators and even nuclear power plants––so if equipment rotates or reciprocates, millwrights maintain it. The field is expected to grow 13% nationally between now and 2034 with over 54,000 positions needing to be filled annually according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Locally, Workforce Solutions for the Coastal Bend’s website indicates that the average earnings for the field is nearly $62,000 with annual job openings around 38. As one of the Coastal Bend region’s industrial employers, leadership with ArcelorMittal Texas HBI understands the need for skilled workers such as millwrights. The company produces annually at its Portland facility over 2 million metric tons of high quality hot briquetted iron (HBI) as a sophisticated pre-material used to manufacture steel. On Monday, July 13, DMC Foundation and Del Mar College leadership recognized and celebrated both the company’s partnership and commitment to the college and regional communities with a naming ceremony and plaque unveiling for the “ArcelorMittal Millwright Lab” located in the Workforce Development Center on the Windward Campus. As part of the event, the company’s leadership presented a commemorative oversized check for $737,700 to represent their commitment and investment for a well-trained workforce. The company’s support has reduced financial barriers for students pursuing careers in the high-demand technical fields targeted through the ArcelorMittal Texas HBI Scholarship, serving as a pipeline of skilled workers not just for ArcelorMittal Texas HBI but also other Coastal Bend employers. Many scholarship recipients are building careers with leading regional employers, including ArcelorMittal Texas HBI as well as Steel Dynamics, Cheniere and other industrial partners throughout South Texas. Since 2020, approximately 180 students have received an ArcelorMittal Texas HBI Scholarship, and the DMC Foundation anticipates awarding an additional 40 to 50 scholarships during the 2026-2027 academic year. Of students receiving an ArcelorMittal Texas HBI Scholarship, DMC Assistant Professor of Industrial Machining Applied Technology and Millwright Dan Anderson noted, “I can honestly say that without this unconditional support, several of my students would not have graduated. These scholarships have changed lives!” Since 2015, DMC’s Industrial Technology Department, which offers the Millwright Program and related training, has awarded a combined 103 Certificates and Associate in Applied Science degrees. The plaque now designating Anderson’s training facility as the “ArcelorMittal Millwright Lab” will remind current students and generations to come of the company’s commitment to educational success, a highly skilled workforce and a strong economic investment built on partnerships to make South Texas and the Coastal Bend the best place to live. View highlights of the July 13 event and segments of speakers’ remarks by clicking on the video below: Editor's note: Pictured in the page banner are company employees, along with Del Mar College President and CEO Dr. Mark Escamilla (fifth from left) and Dr. Michael Spitz (white-rimmed glasses), CEO of ArcelorMittal Texas HBI, posing together in the newly named ArcelorMittal Millwright Lab after the July 13 naming and plaque unveiling ceremony. (Credit: DMC College Relations)