Career Roadmap
Your roadmap
From High School to a Career in Three Steps
Louisiana's Jump Start program lets students earn real industry credentials before leaving high school through both the Architecture & Construction and Manufacturing pathways. Both pathways lead directly into industrial craft careers.
9th & 10th Grade
Start the Foundation
Talk to your school counselor about the Jump Start Architecture & Construction and Manufacturing pathways. If your school offers it, begin NCCER Core Curriculum, the foundation credential that opens the door to all craft training.
Learn about NCCER Core →11th & 12th Grade
Choose Your Craft & Train
Choose a trade based on the kind of work that interests you. Many parishes offer Jump Start Fast Forward, where students earn dual-enrollment college credit at a training campus while still in high school.
Graduation
Launch Your Career
Graduate with your Jump Start Career Diploma and NCCER credential in hand. You will be qualified to enter Louisiana's industrial workforce with real, employer-recognized skills and a clear path to keep advancing.
In-demand careers
Pick the Work That Fits You
Each of these trades offers strong wages, long-term job security, and real opportunities to grow into supervisory and leadership roles. Click any career to learn more about what the work actually looks like day-to-day.
Career information provided by BYF.org (Build Your Future)
Why this matters
Louisiana Needs Skilled Craft Workers Now
Louisiana's industrial sector is in the middle of a sustained surge in construction and maintenance projects. The chart below shows the gap between how many skilled workers are needed and how many are available through normal labor supply channels.
Industrial Craft Disciplines — Louisiana
Skilled Labor Supply vs. Demand (Industrial Only) · Data as of: March 15, 2026
Source: Construction Industry Resources (CIR), CLMA Report. BLS supply data. Displayed through Q3 2028.
Training programs
Find a Campus Near You
Search by school name, city, or semester to find the training program that fits your location and schedule. All campuses below offer NCCER-credentialed craft training through the Jump Start pathway.
| School & Location | Semester | Dates & Info | |
|---|---|---|---|
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ABC Pelican Training Center19251 Highland Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 752-1415 |
Fall 2026 | Semester begins August 3More info → |
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Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC)Mid City Campus: 201 Community College Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 216-8000 |
Summer 2026 | Semester begins June 1More info → |
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ITI Technical College13944 Airline Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70817 (877) 591-1070 |
Fall 2026 | Semester begins August 2026More info → |
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North Baton Rouge Training Initiative (NBRITI)BRCC Acadian Campus: 3250 N. Acadian Thwy E., Baton Rouge, LA 70805 (225) 216-8659 |
Fall 2026 Cohort | Applications available May 2026More info → |
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River Parishes Community College (RPCC)Gonzales Campus: 925 W. Edenborne Pkwy, Gonzales, LA 70737 (225) 743-8500 |
Fall 2026 | Semester begins August 17More info → |
Jump Start Construction Connect Scholars
There's money available for you.
If you earn a Jump Start Career Diploma with an NCCER credential and enroll full-time in a qualifying LCTCS construction program or ABC training program in the summer or fall right after graduation, you may be eligible for this statewide scholarship. The program is a partnership between the Louisiana Department of Education, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, and the Louisiana Construction Education Foundation (LCEF).
Ready to Get Started?
Talk to your school counselor today about the Jump Start pathway and ask about NCCER Core Curriculum. Your career can begin before you ever graduate.
Explore NCCER CoreMore resources: BYF.org · Louisiana Jump Start · LCEF