RPCC expands process technology training as demand grows for grads

A new analysis by the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership found that an associate degree in industrial production technologies from River Parishes Community College offers one of Louisiana’s strongest returns on investment, Ascension Business Report reports. 

Graduates earn median wages of $134,767 within five years, and about 99% remain living and working in Louisiana, compared with 57% of engineering bachelor’s degree graduates from Louisiana public universities.

Graduates earn median wages of $64,642 just one year after completing the two-year program, already exceeding Louisiana’s statewide median household income. After five years, their earnings are nearly double the median household income in the Baton Rouge metro area. 

Demand for process technology workers is especially strong in the Capital Region, where industrial facilities employ them at rates seven to 37 times the national average, and the region has the nation’s highest per capita concentration of chemical plant and system operators.

To meet growing workforce needs, RPCC is expanding access by launching evening process technology classes at Donaldsonville High School this fall for working adults and parents. The college also plans to open a $30 million workforce training center in Donaldsonville in early 2028 to support hiring by Hyundai and other industrial employers. 

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