An organization founded by a group of Capital Region industry leaders is working to grow the number of skilled workers in Louisiana by showing young people that good job opportunities are available here without a typical four-year degree.
Louisiana Calling, founded 2013 and backed by donations from industry wallets, has embarked on a multi-year campaign using social media, concerts and videos to both spotlight the state’s high-demand jobs and the educational pathways available to get them as well as pique interest among students.
Christel Slaughter, of SSA Consultants, says a household telephone survey conducted by the firm at the beginning of the initiative found roughly 50% of people thought less of someone without a four-year degree. It’s a stigma that she’s been fighting to change for most of the past seven years. There are plenty of jobs in-state that pay well—with starting salaries at $45,000 to $50,000—that only require an associate degree or a certification.
“We know what jobs are open today in different regions,” she says, “and we know what the projections are. We’re really weaving that in at the local level.”
However, because the initiative is trying to change attitudes, measuring results can be a bit tricky. The program has put a special initial emphasis on the River Parish region, hoping to boost the available workforce for that region’s industrial sector.
Read the full feature from the Oct. 8 edition of Business Report. Send comments to editor@businessreport.com
