Tellam: Bechtel looking for more workers for Rio Grande LNG project

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Monica Tellam, community relations and communications manager for the Rio Grande LNG project at Bechtel Energy, says more workers are needed.

NextDecade is developing a liquefied natural gas export terminal at the Port of Brownsville. Its name is Rio Grande LNG. Bechtel is the engineering procurement and construction firm for the project.

Bechtel had a booth at the recent 2024 Careers and Coffee Expo held at the Brownsville Events Center. The expo, hosted jointly by the City of Brownsville and the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, served as a giant jobs fair, attracting 3,500 job seekers. 

Tellam gave the Rio Grande Guardian an interview at the expo. She explained the skills sets Bechtel is looking for. Here is the interview:

Other Bechtel news

Earlier this year, Bechtel Energy announced a new partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to launch a first-of-a-kind industry-wide effort to combat suicides in the construction industry.

The latest step in the initiative is the formation of a new CEO Advisory Council of top construction and labor CEOs. Among those on the advisory council are:

• Brendan Bechtel, Chairman and CEO, Bechtel
• Don Allan Jr., President and CEO, Stanley Black & Decker
• David Constable, Chairman and CEO, Fluor
• Peter Davoren, President and CEO, Turner Construction
• Richard Kennedy, President and CEO, Skanska USA
• Rick Lanoha, President and CEO, Kiewit
• Sean McGarvey, President, North America’s Building Trades Unions
• Robby Moser, CEO, Clark Construction
• George Pfeffer, CEO, DPR Construction

Brendan Bechtel

Asked why this matters, Bechtel said the construction industry faces one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the U.S., with rates nearly five times higher than fatalities from job site incidents. He pointed out that with historic investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the CHIPS Act, the demands on the construction workforce are immense, noting that the stress and toll of their work often goes unnoticed.

Bechtel said the advisory council will meet quarterly to evaluate current mental health programs, identify gaps in support, and design new initiatives that address the unique needs faced by construction professionals. He said the council’s efforts will include enhancing training programs, launching awareness campaigns, and improving access to mental health resources throughout the industry.  

“Suicide prevention and mental health are issues that touch everyone in the construction industry. Just like with worksite safety, nothing is proprietary when it comes to saving lives,” Bechtel said. “My fellow industry leaders share this belief, and by joining this council, they’ve demonstrated their commitment to collaboration and finding solutions. The more we engage leaders and work together, the more effectively we can support our people and prevent these tragedies.”

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