Golden Triangle Polymers Company LLC, a joint venture owned by Chevron Phillips Chemical and an indirect subsidiary of QatarEnergy, announced today $400,000 in donations to create a community economic and workforce development program called Local First. 
Through the Local First program, the company is collaborating with Orange County and Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas to prioritize Orange County and the Golden Triangle region first when sourcing suppliers, vendors, and workforce for the Golden Triangle Polymers Project.
Golden Triangle Polymers, now under construction in Orange County, Texas, will be a world-class, integrated polymers facility. Chevron Phillips Chemical is managing engineering, procurement and construction for the project and will operate the facility after start-up.
The project is expected to create more than 500 full-time jobs and about 4,500 construction jobs and generate an estimated $50 billion for the community in residual economic impacts over 20 years. Local First will assist area workers and businesses to compete for opportunities through public communications, public fairs and information sessions, and resource referrals.
“Hiring local talent and supporting businesses in the area is important to Golden Triangle Polymers. We’re excited about the community collaborations we’ve developed to promote and manage Local First over the next four years,” said David Godard, project director for the Golden Triangle Polymers Project.
Golden Triangle Polymers Company donated $200,000 to Orange County to expand its economic development program to include the Golden Triangle Polymers Project. Orange County will work closely with Orange County Economic Development Corporation (OCEDC) and area chambers of commerce to host public supplier and vendor fairs. Small-business owners will also be able to work with Orange County staff to learn what qualifies a small business to be an approved vendor or supplier on any major project.
"Orange County has a long history of supporting business growth, and the Local First program will help us continue to do that,” Orange County Judge John Gothia said. “We look forward to this collaboration and hope it will help our local small-business community be competitive when bidding for work on the project.”
Golden Triangle Polymers Company made a second $200,000 donation to Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas to expand workforce development efforts in the Golden Triangle region. An online job database created by Workforce Solutions includes available jobs from the project and a list of the primary companies carrying out engineering, procurement and construction work.
“The job portal we created is a one-stop-shop solution for people interested in working on the project. It’s much easier to go to one website than seven different websites to find work,” said Mary Hammon, executive director of Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas. “This collaboration will allow Workforce Solutions to stay true to its mission to help job seekers put their best foot forward when competing for work.”
Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas maintains a storefront at 2415 N 16th St. in Orange, Texas, where job seekers can go for basic screening, online application assistance and referral to local education institutions if additional training or certification is needed. As part of the Local First program, Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas will also host job fairs that are free and open to the public.
The Golden Triangle Polymers Company is located near Chevron Phillips Chemical’s existing facility in Orange, 113 miles east of Houston. Chevron Phillips Chemical and its predecessors have had a presence in the Orange community since 1955.
For more information about Local First and the project, and to contact us, visit https://www.goldentrianglepolymers.com.
Visit the Local First website, maintained by Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas, at www.localfirst.setworks.org.
Cutlines:
Workforce Solution photo
Chevron Phillips Chemical on Monday awarded a $200,000 donation to Workforce Solutions for its Local First program, which encourages the hiring of local talent at facilities like the Golden Triangle Polymers plant now under construction in Orange. GTPC community liaison Heather Betancourth, far right, made the donation to representatives from Workforce Solutions, from left to right, Stephanie Rupple, Mary Hammon, Maris Peno, Roxanne Acosta-Hellberg, Dana Willis, Brandy Perkins and Gregory Steward.
Orange County Commissioners
Chevron Phillips Chemical community relations representatives Heather Betancourth, far left, and Vicki Derese, far right, presented a $200,000 donation to Orange County Commissioners Court on Tuesday in support of the Local First program. The donation will be used by the County’s economic development corporation to grow its small-business development capabilities and assist local companies interested in being a vendor or supplier on the Golden Triangle Polymers Project. Picture from left: Precinct 1 Commissioner Johnny Trahan; Precinct 2 Commissioner Chris Sowell; County Judge John Gothia; Precinct 3 Commissioner Kirk Roccaforte; and Precinct 4 Commissioner Robert Viator.