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'Local First' portal set up to help Southeast Texans look for work on $8.5B polymers project in Orange County

Golden Triangle Polymers Company and Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas are making it a priority to hire local workers for the project.

ORANGE, Texas — Southeast Texans are being sought for more than 500 full-time and 4,500 construction jobs expected to be created by an $8.5 billion polymers plant being built in Orange County.

Golden Triangle Polymers Company and Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas are making it a priority to hire local workers by creating a "local first" portal where Southeast Texans can apply.

Along with the full-time jobs the project is expected to create about 4,500 construction jobs as the facility is built along Texas Highway 87 near the Orange County Airport according to the site.

The online portal offers an easy way for job seekers to look for work on the project from among seven different companies.

The portal is not for actually applying to the jobs but to start the process and get a chance at being prioritized as a local hire.

MORE | Sign up at the "Local First" portal

By signing up through the "local first" portal Southeast Texans can receive a "priority referral for the jobs" and be pre-screened and get assistance with online applications.

Job seekers can also be referred by Workforce Southeast Texas to training programs, if needed, for additional training or certifications according to the site.

The "Local First" portal is funded by a $200,000 donation made by GTPC to Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas according to the website.

Orange County leaders are looking forward to the opportunities that are coming to the region.

"We're providing jobs not only with this facility, but with the other things the support industry that comes with this," Orange County Judge John Gothia said earlier this month. "There will be a lot of jobs provided through that and that gives our families a chance to stay her and means a lot to me."

During groundbreaking ceremonies in early March 2023, Golden Triangle Polymers presented a  $1.3 million check to Lamar State College Orange to facilitate the purchase of training equipment.

The college will purchase a Polaris Hands-on-Training 3 Glycol Distillation Trainer, where industrial systems students can train, according to a news release from Lamar State College Orange.

The new plant near the Orange County Airport along Texas Highway 87 in Orange is a joint venture between Chevron Phillips Chemical and Qatar Energy. Chevron Phillips holds a 51% share of the plant.

The plant, which will produce Marlex polyethylene, is expected to begin operating in 2026.

The plant is "expected to contribute $50 billion in residual economic impacts for the community" over the next 20 years, according to the release.

The plant will export 2.2 billion pounds of polyethylene a year while being environmentally friendly and reducing emissions by 25%.

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