04/07/2026

If Louisiana Wants to Grow, We Have to Grow Our Workforce

 

By: Patrick Riley
Director of Government Affairs & Assistant General Counsel

 

Louisiana has no shortage of opportunity right now. In fact, the problem isn’t a lack of projects or investment. The challenge is making sure we have enough people with the right skills, in the right places, at the right time to keep up. That is a very different challenge, and one Louisiana needs to take seriously.

Across the state, major industrial projects and new energy investments are creating significant momentum. That is good news for Louisiana workers, Louisiana communities, and Louisiana’s economy. But it also raises a hard question that deserves more attention than it often gets: Do we actually have the workforce to support the scale of growth we say we want?

A Real Opportunity, and a Real Constraint 

Louisiana starts from a position of strength. We have an industrial base that many states would love to have, decades of experience in manufacturing and energy, and the kind of infrastructure that makes large-scale investment possible. That is a major reason companies continue to look to Louisiana when making long-term decisions about where to build and expand. But the availability of a skilled workforce is quickly becoming one of the primary constraints on that growth.

A recent analysis found that Louisiana has roughly 128,000 job openings, but only about 88,000 people actively seeking work, highlighting a growing gap in the state’s labor force.¹ That gap is significant on its own, but it becomes even more serious when you layer in the demands created by major new projects already announced around the state. The pressure is especially present in the skilled trades and technical fields that industrial employers depend on every day.

Louisiana Works’ long-term projections show substantial growth in occupations like electricians, first-line construction supervisors, welders, and industrial machinery mechanics over the next decade.²³ In the Baton Rouge region alone, electricians are projected to grow from 4,102 to 4,741 jobs by 2032, an increase of 639 positions. Statewide, welders are projected to grow from 11,446 to 12,580 jobs, with 3,639 total openings projected and about 364 average annual openings. And those are just baseline projections.

A separate analysis of major industrial projects in Louisiana found that construction labor demand tied to those projects alone could peak at over 20,000 workers, representing nearly a quarter of the state’s industrial construction workforce.⁴

Put simply, this is not a conversation about filling a few hundred jobs. We are talking about tens of thousands of workers that Louisiana will need in order to fully capture the opportunity in front of it. At some point, workforce stops being a background issue and becomes the issue. That is why workforce has moved to the forefront for LCA. We recognize the scale of the challenge, and we are stepping in to be part of the solution.

Building the Workforce Pipeline in Louisiana, and Stepping Up as an Industry

It starts much earlier than most people think. If Louisiana wants to compete for the next generation of industrial investment, we need to be far more intentional about how we build that pipeline and strengthen workforce development programs. It starts early, with exposure to science and technical education in K-12. It continues through high school with internships, technical skills development, and better awareness of the career opportunities available right here in Louisiana. And it depends heavily on the strength of our community and technical colleges, apprenticeship programs, and employer-driven training.

We cannot assume the workforce will show up just because the projects do. As part of our transition to the Louisiana Chemistry Association, we are also changing how we show up on issues like this. Workforce and education used to sit just outside the core of what industry groups focused on. That is no longer the case.
Importantly, many of these efforts are already being led by our industrial members. Across Louisiana, LCA and LCIA member companies are investing in internships, workforce partnerships, technical training programs, and other opportunities that help students and workers build real skills and move into high-demand careers with strong long-term prospects.

We are spending more time in local communities. We are working more closely with Louisiana Economic Development, Louisiana Works, community and technical colleges, and leaders across the administration. And we are engaging earlier in the pipeline, not just at the point of hiring.

For our members, workforce is one of the most important factors in determining where investment goes. If Louisiana wants to win those investments, we need to be a strong and reliable partner at every stage, from early education to job placement. That is exactly the role LCA intends to play.

What the Louisiana Legislature Is Doing About It

Thankfully, the Legislature is already taking steps to address workforce challenges this session, and several bills are worth highlighting. LCA is actively engaged in this space, working with legislators, agency partners, and stakeholders to support practical policies that strengthen Louisiana’s workforce pipeline and better align training with real-world demand.

HB 807 by Rep. Ken Brass would establish the Workforce Instructor Capacity Investment Program, aimed at expanding training capacity in high-demand sectors. One of the biggest constraints in workforce development today is not just student interest. It is the availability of instructors and program capacity. This bill directly targets that issue and helps ensure that training programs can scale to meet demand.

HB 951 by Rep. Dennis Bamburg would create the Office of the Louisiana Talent Accelerator within Louisiana Works. The goal is to better align workforce programs with employer demand, improve coordination across agencies, and put more emphasis on measurable outcomes. That kind of alignment is critical if we want workforce investments to translate into real jobs and real capacity.

HB 549 by Rep. Berault would establish the Bayou Growth Opportunity Workforce Program, designed to connect individuals to training and employment opportunities in high-growth sectors. This type of targeted program can help bring more people into the workforce pipeline and ensure they are prepared for the kinds of jobs Louisiana is actively trying to grow.

HB 680 by Rep. John Wyble makes important updates to Louisiana’s implementation of workforce policy under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. In its current form, the bill emphasizes coordination with local workforce partners and employers so that funding decisions better reflect regional labor market needs.

LCA is supporting efforts like these and engaging directly in the process to help move them forward. No single bill will solve Louisiana’s workforce challenge, but these bills reflect something critically important. There is growing recognition at the Capitol that workforce development is central to Louisiana’s economic future, and that it needs to be prioritized as such.

Looking Ahead for Louisiana’s Workforce

Louisiana has a real chance to capitalize on this moment, but only if we are honest about what it will take. Other states are not standing still. They are investing in the talent pipelines that major employers need, and Louisiana has to do the same if we want to stay competitive.

If we want to grow, if we want to win projects, and if we want Louisiana workers to be first in line for those opportunities, then we have to build the workforce to match the moment. If we get this right, Louisiana wins. If we don’t, someone else will.

 

 

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¹ "Major Workforce Bills to be Debated this Week." Leaders for a Better Louisiana, 2026, https://betterla.org/news/major-workforce-bills-to-be-debated-this-week/.

² "2025 Annual Louisiana Workforce Development Report." Louisiana Workforce Commission, 2025, https://www.laworks.net/Downloads/LMI/WorkforceDevelopmentReport_2025.pdf.

³ "2024 Annual Louisiana Workforce Development Report." Louisiana Workforce Commission, 2024, https://www.laworks.net/Downloads/LMI/WorkforceDevelopmentReport_2024.pdf.

⁴ Arceneaux, J. "Industrial construction leads Louisiana’s record-setting employment." 10/12 Industry Report, 2026, https://www.1012industryreport.com/construction-design/industrial-construction-leads-louisianas-record-setting-employment/.