College of the Mainland and other Gulf Coast area community colleges will host Date with Destiny, a free one-day conference on Oct. 13 for women who strive to work in the petrochemical industry.

Sponsored by Shell Oil Company, Date with Destiny is an annual conference designed for high school juniors and seniors, current college students and recent college graduates. Attendees will learn how to network, apply for petrochemical jobs, write résumés and interview with employers in the industry.

The day will begin with a welcome and the presentation “A Day in the Life of an Operations and/or Crafts Woman” by Christine Smith, a Shell production team leader. David Esquibel with Shell’s Workforce Community Strategic Initiative will also speak to the audience about scholarships. A panel discussion will include insight from Shell maintenance and operations staff and contractors Jenny Weinmann, Terri Hardy, Sara Kenerly, Miranda Weldon and Monique Bryant. 

The afternoon will feature a discussion on the importance of obtaining job-seeking skills and breakout sessions on résumé writing and interviewing. Booths from area community colleges will be available to provide information on petrochemical workforce training programs.

Date with Destiny will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. at San Jacinto College. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Date with Destiny is open to the public. To register, visit www.sanjac.edu/destiny.