Students Learn About Career Opportunities from SABIC Professionals During Campus Visit

April 14, 2025

On Tuesday, April 1, representatives from SABIC, a global diversified chemicals company, visited campus to talk to students about career opportunities at their Selkirk facility and other plants around the globe. Currently, nine out of ten of SABIC’s electrical craftsmen are Hudson Valley Community College graduates.

SABIC manufactures on a global scale in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, making distinctly different kinds of products: chemicals, commodity and high-performance plastics, and agri-nutrients.

Students in the Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technical Services (HVAC) and Electrical Construction and Maintenance (ECM) degree programs had an opportunity to learn more about the industry and network with SABIC professionals during their class time.

Rich Guilz, SABIC employee and a 1987 graduate of Hudson Valley, was one of the presenters from the company, and said “the fundamental skills of HVCC’s ECM program are exactly what SABIC requires from their employees.”

“SABIC is a big supporter of the ECM program here at Hudson Valley,” said Applied Technologies Department Chair Chris McNally. “Starting salaries for our graduates are $60,000 plus per year, and there are many opportunities that are open to them in this field.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 40,000 openings for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers are projected each year, on average, over the coming decade (2023-2033) and more than 80,000 are projected for electricians.

The HVAC and ECM programs allow students to enter the workforce immediately following graduation. Campus visits from industry professionals provide students with firsthand information about the potential career opportunities that are available to them.

“Everything Hudson Valley ECM students are learning will be directly applied in their careers at SABIC,” said Mike Brown, SABIC employee and 2002 graduate of Hudson Valley.

To learn more about the Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technical Services and Electrical Construction and Maintenance degree programs, visit the college’s Applied Technologies Department webpage.