Community partners from Lake Charles to Lafayette are working together to address workforce needs in South Louisiana following job reductions by energy, construction and manufacturing companies in the region. The latest effort in that collaboration is the Industrial Trades Career Fair on Thursday, March 3.
The Lafayette Economic Development Authority, LED FastStart, Louisiana Workforce Commission and One Acadiana will host the event at the Cajundome Convention Center, 444 Cajundome Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Companies participating at the event are hiring for industrial positions across South Louisiana, including pipefitter, electrician, ironworker, painter, equipment operator, steel erector, welder, instrument technician, carpenter and boilermaker.
Participating companies include contractors who are building LNG plants such as Turner, Bechtel and CB&I, as well as industrial plants and other contractors like PPG Industries, Brown & Root Industrial and Pala Group.
“There are numerous opportunities along the I-10 corridor from Lake Charles to Baton Rouge for displaced energy, construction and manufacturing workers and for our businesses,” says Gregg Gothreaux, president and CEO of LEDA. “Our organizations continue to identify companies working on these industrial projects and connect them with our displaced workers.”
As with any job fair, attendees are encouraged to review the list of participating companies and identify the ones they would like to meet with at the event. A full list of participating companies and their openings can be found here. http://www.lafayette.org/jobfairs
“This job fair is a good example of how to creatively address the immediate challenges associated with low energy prices through community collaboration,” says Jason El Koubi, president and CEO of One Acadiana. “It will make our regional economy more resilient by connecting displaced workers with new opportunities in neighboring regions, enabling them to continue providing for their families and spending money in Acadiana. It’s an immediate-term effort that complements our longer-term focus on making our economy more competitive, stable and diverse.”
Along with the companies, representatives from LWC and South Louisiana Community College will be on hand to meet with job seekers to explain job services and training opportunities. Local resume coaches/writers will also review job seekers’ resumes.
“Louisiana’s industrial craft workforce is more important than ever as we bring online a number of major petrochemical expansion projects in industrial corridors across south Louisiana,” said Jeff Lynn, executive director of LED Workforce Development Programs. “At LED FastStart, we’re collaborating with the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, as well as regional partners like LEDA and One Acadiana, to identify the skills of unemployed or under-employed people and route them through the best short-term training programs to maximize their opportunities.”
The job fair is free and open to the public. Job seekers should bring copies of their resumes and certifications. Job seekers are encouraged to pre-register for the event online here.