A new study says the maritime industry accounts for one in every five jobs in Louisiana, resulting in employment income of more than $3.5 annually and an $11 billion total economic impact each year.
Published by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, “An Invisible Giant: The Maritime Industry in Louisiana” also highlights the growing need for more skilled workers in the industry.
The 50 companies that participated in surveys that were used to compile the study said they will need to fill as many as 3,000 jobs in the next five years alone.
“An aging workforce, technological advancements, growth in offshore energy production in the Gulf of Mexico, and the expanded Panama Canal are all factors that will compound the workforce shortage even further,” the study says. “Furthermore, existing workforce shortages may be complicated by the historic growth in manufacturing and in the petrochemical industry, which will frequently occur near the state’s waterways and affect maritime workers.”
The study says a better approach to training maritime workers is also needed in Louisiana, where employers are currently providing training “by a large margin,” either through in-house programs or by contracting with two-year colleges, proprietary schools or partner companies in the industry.
“One interviewee noted: ‘In five to six years, the right worker will earn a six-figure salary—all with training funded by industry,’” reads the study, which notes “the vast majority” of maritime training take places at three institutions within the LCTCS. “LCTCS should convene maritime stakeholders including employers, two-year colleges, trade associations, ports and K-12 schools, among others, in a task force to further identify the types of training in demand and design a plan to systematically meet those needs.”
The study notes 91% of the companies surveyed said they believe the state should do more to provide the industry with help in training qualified workers.
—Steve Sanoski
