More Than 450,000 Louisiana Workers Are Employed In Occupations Relevant To Manufacturing
Louisiana’s recent workforce training investments continue to provide companies with an ever-growing pool of highly skilled, qualified workers. From 2007 to 2012, the state invested more than $250 million in new and modernized training facilities at community and technical schools, and in 2013, authorized an additional $250 million in workforce-related projects.
In 2014, the state allocated $40 million to the Workforce and Innovation for a Stronger Economy Fund (WISE Fund) to better prepare Louisiana students at all levels to compete in the global economy. Today, more than 450,000 workers in Louisiana are employed in occupations relevant to manufacturing (according to Economic Modeling Specialists International) and technology companies have access to a skilled workforce that includes over 21,000 informational technology professionals.
Two innovative, advanced manufacturing center projects are underway at Louisiana community colleges, buoyed by the construction of major industrial projects by Benteler Steel/Tube in Shreveport and Sasol in Lake Charles. These facilities will house state-of-the-art manufacturing technology and are staffed with LED FastStart® team members to enhance all phases of recruitment, assessment and training. Other regional manufacturers will benefit from the advanced training centers after the needs of Benteler and Sasol are met.
In addition to an abundance of talent and innovative training programs, Louisiana boasts some of the most engaged, hard-working citizens in the U.S.
At a recent DEL Corp. expansion announcement in Scott, company President Bob Kulbeth said, “The No. 1 reason for expanding in Louisiana, and particularly the Acadiana area, is the work ethic of the people. I have worked on projects all over the United States and nowhere have I found people that work like the people of Acadiana.”
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