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Beaumont chemical plant Lucite International to close February 2021

In the past six months, we’ve seen a number of layoffs and job cuts impacting industry jobs here in Southeast Texas.

BEAUMONT, Texas — This past year has dealt a huge hit to industry workers as nearly 2,400 workers will have lost their jobs. A Beaumont chemical plant is the latest of three companies hit. 

Lucite International off North Twin City Highway will close its doors by Feb. 28, 2021. The company made the announcement in a news release. 

The reason behind this decision? The company is seeking to optimize its supply chain and to keep up with supply demands for raw materials.

Closure comes as Exxon announced it will be cutting nearly 2,000 jobs primarily at management offices in Houston. And in June, Motiva announced plans to lay off 200 people at its plants in Port Arthur and Houston.

RELATED: Layoffs, economic impact likely headed toward Port Arthur as COVID-19 pandemic continues

These layoffs have led to soaring unemployment in our area on top of additional COVID-19 related job losses. At 12.5 percent, Beaumont has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state.

But there's hope and help. In response to the unemployment surge, the Texas Workforce Commission has invested $10 million in job training.

The state is offering 5,000 courses through a program called Metrix Learning, which is essentially free job training. "You will receive a certificate, which you can show to prospective employers or note on your resume," Cisco Gamez, media specialist at Texas Workforce Commission.

The state also has two call centers set up to guide people through registering for the training. "A lot of people haven't interviewed in a long time. And in this new world, they need to know more about this stuff that they're going to be interfacing with," said Workforce Division Director Courtney Arbour.

Anyone in Texas looking for a job can also visit the Texas Workforce Solutions Website.

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