ExxonMobil helps BISD students hit the ground running for new school year

With less than a week to go until school begins, ExxonMobil volunteers were on deck to get Beaumont ISD students ready for the new school year.

Volunteers at Beaumont United and Early College high schools helped check dozens of students in while planting an early seed for what a career at ExxonMobil could look like.

Incoming Early College senior Dayana Orozco said while her number one plan is to obtain a nursing degree from Lamar University and become a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurse, she’s always thought about pursuing a career in the petrochemical industry.

“It’s very tempting,” she said. “I know my uncle (who works in the industry)… he makes good money. I know the (wage I could make would support) my future goals.”

Orozco also said the fact that she could earn a degree and obtain a high-wage job while staying in Beaumont is important to her, particularly since she has young relatives whose lives she wants to be a part of.

“My biggest goal is to stay local,” she said.

The beginning of a new school year and starting high school is a tad overwhelming for incoming Early College freshman Charina Guidry and while she doesn’t yet know what her post-high school plans are, mom Christina Moore is excited about all of the opportunities Guidry will have, including being introduced to companies such as ExxonMobil.

“For her to be able to have that opportunity is amazing to me,” Moore said.

Incoming Beaumont United seniors Ashley Collins and Lola Carr in June had an earlier introduction to ExxonMobil through the 409 Energy Scholars Program,

“When I first heard about ExxonMobil, I thought it was just engineering-based, (science, technology, engineering and math)-based, nothing for me who wants to major in business,” Collins said. “(I thought) there was nothing for me to do there. After I finished the program, I was like, ‘Wow, there’s way more opportunities than STEM-related.’ So, (the program) definitely changed the way I thought about ExxonMobil. I (also) learned that they give a lot back to the community.”

Both Collins and Carr were persuaded to apply for the program by their counselors and Carr, like Collins, learned that there were more opportunities available for them than just those in STEM fields.

“I would love to come back and actually work at ExxonMobil in (public relations),” Carr said.

Hiring local talent is mutually beneficial to both the Southeast Texas economy and ExxonMobil’s bottom line, Beaumont Area Public and Government Affairs Advisor Aaron Moore said.

“That’s why it’s so important for us to engage with Beaumont ISD students who will be the future talent we need to achieve our workforce objectives,” he said.