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Career Roadmap

Industrial Craft Career Roadmap

Louisiana Industrial Craft Careers Build Something Real.

No four-year degree required. Industrial craft careers in Louisiana are high-wage, high-demand, and within reach through the Jump Start Career Diploma pathway starting in high school.

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.

1

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.

NCCER Core
Learn about NCCER Core →
2

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.

NCCER Level 1+ Dual Enrollment Fast Forward
3

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.

Jump Start Career Diploma NCCER Credential

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.

Electrician
Install and maintain electrical systems in industrial facilities
Pipefitter
Assemble and maintain high-pressure piping systems
Welder
Join metals using specialized techniques across many industries
Millwright
Install, align, and maintain industrial machinery and equipment
Instrumentation
Install and maintain the control systems that run industrial plants
More careers
Explore all craft paths at BYF.org

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.

New Orleans Area

School & Location Semester Dates & Info
ABC New Orleans Bayou Training Center101 Riverbend Dr, St Rose, LA 70087
(504) 468-3188		 Fall 2026 Registration opens April 6, 2026More info →
Delgado Community CollegeRiver City Site: 709 Churchill Pkwy, Avondale, LA 70094
(504) 342-3400		 Summer 2026 Semester begins June 3More info →
Nunez Community College3710 Paris Road, Chalmette, LA 70043
(504) 278-6420		 Fall 2026 Semester begins August 18More info →
River Parishes Community CollegeReserve Campus: 181 Regala Park Road, Reserve, LA 70084
(985) 536-4418		 Fall 2026 Semester begins August 17More info →
River Parishes Community CollegeSt. Charles Campus: 13145 HWY 90, Boutte, LA 70039
(985) 785-5080		 Fall 2026 Semester begins August 17More info →
River Parishes Community CollegeWestside Campus: 25250 Tenant Road, Plaquemine, LA 70764
(225) 687-5500		 Fall 2026 Semester begins August 17More info →

Greater Baton Rouge Area

School & Location Semester Dates & Info
ABC Pelican Training Center19251 Highland Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70809
(225) 752-1415		 Fall 2026 Semester begins August 3More info →
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 →
ITI Technical College13944 Airline Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70817
(877) 591-1070		 Fall 2026 Semester begins August 2026More info →
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 →
River Parishes Community College (RPCC)Gonzales Campus: 925 W. Edenborne Pkwy, Gonzales, LA 70737
(225) 743-8500		 Fall 2026 Semester begins August 17More info →
$1,000
one-time scholarship

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 Core

More resources: BYF.org  ·  Louisiana Jump Start  ·  LCEF