(PITTSBURGH) - Manchester Bidwell Corporation will honor the invaluable service of esteemed board member Dr. E. Peter Benzing with a naming dedication for its chemical laboratory at Bidwell Training Center. The Dr. E. Peter Benzing Chemical Laboratory will be officially recognized on Monday, June 26 with a dedication ceremony and cocktail reception from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at 1815 Metropolitan Street.

Dr. Benzing, a retired vice president of Bayer Corporation, helped establish the Chemical Laboratory Technician program in 1990 to provide skilled workers for the chemical industry. He continues to serve on the Chemical Laboratory Advisory Board of Bidwell Training Center, and on the Development Committee of Manchester Bidwell Corporation.

Bidwell is nationally recognized for its innovative academic programs that prepare more than 200 students annually with the current skills and ethical values necessary to succeed in a changing job market. Bidwell’s Chemical Laboratory Technician program was established to provide technician training based on employer needs. Graduates are prepared to secure employment in the chemical industry and related fields.

“It’s a partnership that makes sense,” says Dr. Benzing. “The Chem Lab program helps people, and also helps the chemical industry. We ask employers what they need and then provide hands-on training for those jobs. At Bidwell, it’s attitude that makes the difference. Regardless of their backgrounds, the students are encouraged to strive for excellence. It breeds a sense of community.”

BTC graduates are consistently placed in career positions with companies such as Alcoa, Bayer, UPMC and NOVA Chemicals. Forging strong corporate partnerships is an intrinsic component of Bidwell Training Center’s role as a catalyst for economic impact in the Pennsylvania region.

Dr. Benzing feels that Bidwell Training Center provides real economic benefits through meaningful job training and placement. “Bidwell shows what can be done. People who want to help themselves can find help, and it’s not welfare.”

To meet increasing laboratory standards, training demand, and to stay current with technological changes, Bidwell’s second-floor chemical teaching laboratory has been enlarged, relocated to the first floor and upgraded with new equipment.

Dr. Benzing envisions a future at Bidwell where students can take advantage of broader job training opportunities, possibly at satellite locations throughout the Pittsburgh region. “We need to stay ahead of the curve. The future is in specialized technology, and we need to train people to be effective in the new economy.”