Training program to cultivate tech talent in the Capital Region
BATON ROUGE, La. (October 4, 2018) — The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), in partnership with NexusLA and The Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC), today announced the launch of Apprenti Louisiana, the state’s first registered technology apprenticeship.
The pilot program will train selected candidates in high-demand tech occupations that were identified by the needs of Capital Region tech businesses. Apprenti Louisiana will have an immediate impact on the area’s technology workforce by training and pairing candidates with direct openings in companies.
“As charged in our regional strategic plan, we set out to identify and push forward opportunities to align regional workforce development systems to meet business needs,” said Adam Knapp, president and CEO of BRAC. “The launch of the Apprenti program in the Capital Region is in direct response to the needs of our growing tech sector, and we look forward to seeing the impact it has on transforming the talent pipeline.”
Candidates will undergo a four month in-class training to earn certificates in their chosen pathway of software development, IT support, cybersecurity or system administration. After the initial certification each candidate will complete a year of paid, on-the-job training with one of Apprenti Louisiana’s hiring partners. To date, hiring partners include: TraceSecurity, General Informatics, EATEL, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana.
“More and more we are seeing companies shy away from requiring a traditional university degree in the technology sector and move to training programs like apprenticeships,” said Ethan J. Melancon, policy and research project manager for BRAC. “Apprenticeships provide vital benefits to both candidates and employers. These certifications, combined with intensive on-the-job training, allow companies to directly train the candidate they want while providing the apprentice a stable income and a leg up on landing a permanent job.”
Apprenti Louisiana will focus on recruiting, training, and placing diverse talent into roles at leading tech companies by strategically providing opportunities to women, veterans, and people of color through community workforce partners. Initial partners include EmployBR, the Baton Rouge Career Center, The Walls Project, and the Baton Rouge North Economic Development District.
Learn more by visiting Apprenti Louisiana.
About the Baton Rouge Area Chamber
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) leads economic development in the nine-parish Baton Rouge Area, working to grow jobs and wealth and to improve the business climate and competitiveness in the region. Today, BRAC investors include more than 1,500 small businesses, midsize firms, large industry and entrepreneurial startups, as well as individuals and organizations that support business and economic development. In this capacity, BRAC serves as the voice of the business community, providing knowledge, access, services and advocacy. More information is available at brac.org.
About Apprenti
Apprenti is a registered apprenticeship program powered by the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA). Apprenti trains future tech workers with an emphasis on underrepresented groups including women, minorities and veterans. Apprenti is an industry recognized, state and federally accredited program. Apprentices receive two to five months of full-time, industry recognized training before beginning one-year of paid on-the-job training with one of the program’s hiring partners. The program is partially funded through a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) ApprenticeshipUSA contract and a grant from the American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI), with support from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), and JP Morgan Chase.
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Morgan is the Marketing Manager for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. In her role, she manages writing organizational publications and materials, oversees BRAC’s social media and blog, and coordinates timelines for all internal marketing projects.