East Central Reporter

On Aug. 11, Rep. Adam Niemerg shared an accomplishment of the Marathon Petroleum Company: the award of a grant for workforce training. The $37,000 grant funding will go toward the company’s ongoing safety training in Robinson.

"We have an abundance of natural resources in Illinois that should be utilized to provide affordable and dependable energy to help fuel homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals for our communities," Niemerg said. "The grant program supports workers’ efforts to upgrade their skills in order to remain current in new technologies and business practices, enabling companies to remain competitive, expand into new markets and introduce more efficient technologies into their operations. A skilled workforce is essential to Illinois’ continued economic growth and ETIP allows companies to make those investments in their employees.”

The Robinson refinery has a long history in Crawford County, according to a fact sheet from Marathon. It was built in 1906, and purchased by Marathon Petroleum Company in 1924. Since then, it has won a variety of awards and has been actively involved in the community. For example, the company’s approximately 650 employees have participated in FIND Your Career Day/Real World/Women in Vocational Careers event partnerships with area high schools to raise awareness of opportunities for students, including job shadowing and scholarships; they have also participated in National Night Out, emergency response drills with local first responders, a variety of Chambers of Commerce in Robinson and surrounding communities. The refinery obtained EPA Energy Star certification in 2014-2016, and 2018-2021; they won the 2015 Southern Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Governor’s Award for Contributions in Health and Safety as well.

“The program has played a significant role in providing hands-on training resources, specifically for our Operations and Maintenance employees. These demonstration units are used for new employee onboarding, operator and technician level upskilling, and community vocational events. We are very grateful for the state’s funding and believe these training props play a vital role in providing the required training our employees need to perform exceptionally and safely,” said Dan Dix, Training Specialist at Marathon.

The Employer Training Investment Program through the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association can cover up to half of the costs for job training for the 2022-2023 fiscal year (between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023). Information on the 2023 training grant is available here.

“We are fortunate to have a company like Marathon in our community that not only supplies gasoline, propane, and feedstocks but also is important in giving back to the community after the recent tornado emergency. The positive impact of Marathon in Robinson and Crawford County can be felt through their participation and support of high school career fairs, scholarships, and job opportunities, as well as their support of the local United Way, local law enforcement with National Night Out, and the Crawford County L.I.F.E. to advocate for Mental Health Wellness," said Rep. Niemerg