La. lures job creators with training program on steroids

A couple years ago, Louisiana barely showed up on the radar when the mobile gaming leader Gameloft went looking to expand. Hardly a tech giant, the state was not on the short list of likely sites for the company’s second U.S. studio, New Orleans’ WVUE-TV reports. Nevertheless, the state asked Gameloft to allow it to screen potential applicants, even before the company had made a decision. “We were, of course, taking a little risk,” says LED Secretary Stephen Moret. “If they didn’t select New Orleans, we’d have a little egg on our face.” Through social media and other efforts, LED rounded up 1,400 potential job seekers, which Moret believes was a key factor in Gameloft’s decision to expand in New Orleans. Gameloft, which LED says is on pace to employ 150 workers in New Orleans, was a key victory for LED FastStart, a sort of job training program on steroids. “We help them hire and train the best people they can find,” says Jeff Lynn, executive director of workforce development programs for LED. FastStart customizes “employee recruitment, screening, training development and training delivery for eligible, new or expanding companies—all at no cost,” according to the LED website. That can mean everything from helping businesses fill their staffing needs to training workers and developing more general programs for Louisiana technical colleges. FastStart is now regularly named among the best workforce development and training programs in the country by a variety of industry publications. More details are available in the full story here.