Representatives from Eastman Chemical Co. visit TSTC to showcase expanding opportunities to students

(MARSHALL, Texas) - Texas State Technical College invited representatives from Eastman Chemical Co. 's Longview plant, which manufactures products like those used in automobile interiors, food preservatives and personal care items, to speak to 44 students from four of its technical programs during a recent employer spotlight at the college's Marshall campus.

Eastman has collaborated with TSTC's Process Operations program for several years, but the company's learning services manager, Marcus Hooper, and electrical training coordinator, Chris Meadows, said it also is interested in hiring TSTC graduates from associate's degree programs like Automation and Controls Technology and Industrial Systems, all of which had students in attendance at the event.

"We've had a great working relationship (with TSTC), and we're looking forward to continuing that," Hooper told attendees. "We're their customers. These folks are trying to put together a product - you all - that we'll be happy with."

Hooper and Meadows gave a detailed presentation on Eastman, with videos, aerial images of the company's Longview plant, and information about the chemicals that it produces. They described available jobs and paid competitive internships.

"This job can be done by anyone who has the desire to do it and puts forth the effort," Meadows said.

Hooper and Meadows outlined a molecular recycling facility currently in development that will create over 200 more jobs at the Longview plant.

"Local schools that help to provide the training that you are getting are part of the reason that we were able to bring this new facility to life," Hooper said.

The facility piqued the interest of Automation and Controls Technology student Gentry Venable, who enjoys working with recycled materials as a hobby.

"I take plastic bottles and feed them through a machine that pulls them into a plastic filament to be put through a 3D printer," Venable said. "I'm excited about seeing what's out there and finding out what I'll be able to do with a degree."

Hooper advised the students to absorb the industry insight offered by their instructors.

"Not only is it going to help you get your foot in the door, it is going to make your world a whole lot easier when you get there," he said.

Registration for TSTC's spring semester begins Oct. 28. For more information, visit tstc.edu.

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