Three LIT graduates honored as 2018 Texas Workforce Ambassadors
3/11/2019
Beaumont- Three Lamar Institute of Technology graduates were among five who were recently recognized by Texas Workforce Solutions as the 2018 Workforce Ambassadors for their achievements and successfully overcoming barriers in their journeys to self-reliance. The LIT standouts honored at the 4th Annual Awards of Excellence event were Timothy Haynes, Mallory Matthews and Briana Johnson.
Timothy Haynes decided he was no longer content with short-term jobs and low wages in January 2018. He wanted to be self-sufficient for his family and overcome the stigma of prior incarceration. Haynes enrolled at LIT, where he received a $2,500 scholarship. Workforce provided the remaining financial aid. By October 2018, Haynes had completed training, received his license and was hired by a local freight company as a Class A CDL driver, earning about $22 per hour.
Mallory Matthews, a single parent who relied on public assistance and child support, knew she also needed help to achieve her dream as a peace officer. After Hurricane Harvey, Matthews couldn’t continue taking college classes. Through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity (WIOA) program, she enrolled in LIT’s Police Academy. In February 2018 Matthews was sworn in as a Port Arthur Police Officer. With a starting wage of $24 per hour plus benefits, she realized her dream and became self-sufficient.
In less than a year Brianna Johnson went from being unemployed with no high school diploma and no job skills to realizing her dream job. She enrolled in the Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) program at the Beaumont Workforce Solutions Center in Spring 2018. Johnson was selected to participate in the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) Program.
After earning her GED, she received a scholarship through JAG Workforce Solutions to enroll in LIT’s Dental Assistant program. Johnson successfully completed Dental Assistant training, passing her state boards and earning her credentials in December 2018. She is employed in her field.
The Workforce Solutions Southeast Texas Board is a business-led group of volunteers who evaluates and oversees workforce training and employment services in Hardin, Jefferson and Orange Counties. The board helps identify opportunities and create partnerships that link employers and job seekers to improve the economic future of the area.
