With more than $60 billion worth of plant construction projects in progress or on the horizon, Louisiana has a growing need for skilled labor. Yet a recent survey of 22 contractors in the state found nearly half expect to have challenges finding qualified workers in 2016.
Louisiana is two years into a plan to train and recruit nearly 80,000 new skilled workers to serve the construction industry. Louisiana's Craft Workforce Development Task Force estimated in 2014 it would need to replace 51,000 retiring workers add another 35,000 new workers by 2016.