NLEP's Top Skills Workforce Summit Highlights Workforce Needs
NLEP’s Top Skills Workforce Summit Highlights Workforce Needs
North Louisiana Workforce Summit Focuses on How to Build a Better Workforce
SHREVEPORT–MONROE, La. — The North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP), a regional economic development organization, will host its first Top Skills Workforce Summit on March 17, 2015 at the Shreveport Convention Center, Ballroom B, 400 Caddo Street, Shreveport, La. from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Top Skills Workforce Summit will feature keynote luncheon speaker, Louisiana Superintendent of Education John White, to discuss the Jump Start Career Diploma.
“Having a robust and skilled workforce is critical to attracting new businesses and ensuring that existing companies in North Louisiana have the qualified employees they need to grow,” said Scott Martinez, NLEP President.
The Workforce Summit will also feature industry leaders from across North Louisiana in three panel discussions, each focused on a different industry sector: skilled & industrial trades; health care; and information and communication technology. The discussions will look at critical workforce needs and issues in each of these key sectors that drive North Louisiana’s economy.
“As we work to grow our manufacturing base in North Louisiana, it is crucial that we develop methods and systems for filling the labor market with the proper skill sets that will allow companies to be successful and grow their businesses," said Frank Russell, Libbey Plant Manager.
The Healthcare panel, featuring representatives from Willis-Knighton Health System and Vantage Health Plan, will take place at 8:30 am. The Information and Communication Technology panel will follow at9:30 with companies such as CenturyLink and CSC represented among others. The Industrial and Skilled Trades panel will wrap up the morning session at 10:30 with representatives from Libbey, the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association, Brown Builders and other industrial employers.
The event will culminate in a keynote luncheon starting at 11:30 a.m. featuring Supt. White who will discuss the state’s new career diploma program called Jump Start. The program was introduced last year and encourages school districts, colleges and businesses to collaborate on providing career courses and workplace experiences to high school students. Jump Start prepares students to continue their education after high school, while also enabling them to attain industry certifications in high demand, high wage career fields that make them work-ready upon graduation.
“The NLEP is excited about the new Jump Start Career Diploma as a way to provide more options to high school students planning for their future. Creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue between employers, educators, training providers and parents about workforce needs and career opportunities in North Louisiana is a critical part of the Top Skills workforce program we developed under our new strategic plan,” said Angie White, NLEP Sr. Vice President.
NLEP’s newly implemented strategic plan outlines new goals for the organization, including promoting talent recruitment and workforce development in order to create a strong pipeline of talent to support current and future employers. NLEP will introduce the new Top Skills workforce program during the keynote luncheon.
The event is open to the public: $35 for investors and $45 for non-investors. Table sponsorships are available. To RSVP and to purchase tickets, visit www.topskills.eventbrite.com or call Michele Riney for more information at 318.677.2554. A small processing fee applies.
“Having a robust and skilled workforce is critical to attracting new businesses and ensuring that existing companies in North Louisiana have the qualified employees they need to grow,” said Scott Martinez, NLEP President.
The Workforce Summit will also feature industry leaders from across North Louisiana in three panel discussions, each focused on a different industry sector: skilled & industrial trades; health care; and information and communication technology. The discussions will look at critical workforce needs and issues in each of these key sectors that drive North Louisiana’s economy.
“As we work to grow our manufacturing base in North Louisiana, it is crucial that we develop methods and systems for filling the labor market with the proper skill sets that will allow companies to be successful and grow their businesses," said Frank Russell, Libbey Plant Manager.
The Healthcare panel, featuring representatives from Willis-Knighton Health System and Vantage Health Plan, will take place at 8:30 am. The Information and Communication Technology panel will follow at9:30 with companies such as CenturyLink and CSC represented among others. The Industrial and Skilled Trades panel will wrap up the morning session at 10:30 with representatives from Libbey, the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association, Brown Builders and other industrial employers.
The event will culminate in a keynote luncheon starting at 11:30 a.m. featuring Supt. White who will discuss the state’s new career diploma program called Jump Start. The program was introduced last year and encourages school districts, colleges and businesses to collaborate on providing career courses and workplace experiences to high school students. Jump Start prepares students to continue their education after high school, while also enabling them to attain industry certifications in high demand, high wage career fields that make them work-ready upon graduation.
“The NLEP is excited about the new Jump Start Career Diploma as a way to provide more options to high school students planning for their future. Creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue between employers, educators, training providers and parents about workforce needs and career opportunities in North Louisiana is a critical part of the Top Skills workforce program we developed under our new strategic plan,” said Angie White, NLEP Sr. Vice President.
NLEP’s newly implemented strategic plan outlines new goals for the organization, including promoting talent recruitment and workforce development in order to create a strong pipeline of talent to support current and future employers. NLEP will introduce the new Top Skills workforce program during the keynote luncheon.
The event is open to the public: $35 for investors and $45 for non-investors. Table sponsorships are available. To RSVP and to purchase tickets, visit www.topskills.eventbrite.com or call Michele Riney for more information at 318.677.2554. A small processing fee applies.
ABOUT NORTH LOUISIANA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP
North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP) is a public-private partnership dedicated to the positive and sustainable economic development of the 14 parishes it serves in North Louisiana. The NLEP and its many partners work with both existing and prospective companies to facilitate the attraction and retention of capital investment and meaningful job opportunities in our region.
NLEP's Top Skills Workforce Summit Hi...
Date and Time
Tuesday Mar 17, 2015
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Contact Information
Christine Rambo, Sr. Vice
President
NLEP Communications & Business
Development
(W) 318.677.2531 (C) 318.537.0703
Send Email
