In a press release Friday morning, Chevron announced several hundred layoffs in both Lafayette and Covington.

“They’re going to be about 385 people laid off in five offices in the state of Louisiana.”

Lafayette Economic Development Authority President, Gregg Gothreaux says the main Chevron office on Johnston St. and the training center on Galbert Rd. are facing cuts.

The main office on Johnston is scheduled to be closed over the next two years.

Chevron said it will help affected employees find other Chevron locations and offer severance to those who cannot find employment.

“They do have positions that open up for one reason or another: retirements, ect. All over the world. We know that they will do their best to try to reassign people.”

In the midst of the layoffs, LEDA is in the process of organizing an industrial career fair to soften the blow to the economy.

“Those companies that will be at the career fair will be primarily companies in the Lake Charles or Baton Rouge area that are trying to find people right now to build all of these major plants and to manage other operations in that area.”

The industrial career fair is scheduled for Thursday, March 3, from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m. at the Cajun dome Convention center.