THE PATH TO A PRACTICAL NURSING CAREER CAN NOW START IN HIGH SCHOOL

NEWS RELEASE

NOCC, Delgado Charity School of Nursing and Ochsner join forces to pilot new LPN Apprenticeship program.

New Orleans, LA, October 4, 2022 — New Orleans high school students interested in nursing careers will soon have a free, three-year path to becoming Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) starting in 11th grade. The new pilot LPN apprenticeship program was developed by New Orleans Career Center (NOCC), Delgado Charity School of Nursing and Ochsner Health. Recruiting for a pilot cohort will begin in January for 20 seats. It is the only program of its kind in New Orleans.

“At NOCC, we prepare young people to be the city’s workforce of the future, to have the option and the training to enter satisfying, well-paid careers in high-demand sectors like healthcare,” said CEO Claire Jecklin. “The collaboration with Delgado and Ochsner creates an efficient new route to financially sustaining careers without the crippling burden of student loan debt.”

High school students accepted into the pilot cohort will begin their rigorous 36-month training in the fall of 2023. Training will be conducted year-round at NOCC, Delgado, and Ochsner. Funding comes from grants from the U.S. Department of Labor and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. Interested sophomores should speak to their high school guidance counselor or complete the pre-Nursing pathway interest form. Although currently in the pilot stage, the partners expect to expand the program in the future.

“This new partnership between Delgado Charity School of Nursing, NOCC, and Ochsner Health is a fantastic opportunity for high school students to accelerate their career skills training in nursing so that they can become licensed, employed practical nurses as soon as possible after graduation from high school. Their educational and employment success as nurses will contribute to alleviating the shortage of trained healthcare professionals in our state. We are grateful to everyone involved in establishing this path-breaking opportunity,” said Cheryl Myers, PhD, Delgado Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and College Provost and former Dean, Delgado Charity School of Nursing.

Trainees will complete coursework and clinical requirements equivalent to any other state-approved LPN program. Delgado’s Practical Nursing Program prepares the student for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Practical nurses take care of patients including feeding, bathing and maintaining patient charts. They administer medication and monitor equipment. They also assess and monitor the health and illness of patients. Practical nurses are employed predominantly by physicians’ offices, home health agencies, nursing homes, hospitals, and clinics. Clinical experience makes up more than 50 percent of the program hours. Students learn patient observation skills, treatments, and medications.

In addition to the intensive healthcare and medical coursework, trainees will complete Impact Training at Ochsner, a workforce development program that gives participants hard and soft skill sets and knowledge to increase performance and become reliable employees. The program includes workplace ethics training, communication and problem-solving strategies, and technical skills like equipment training, safety procedures, and use of ancillary patient medical devices.

Workforce development programs are an integral part of a collective Healthy State by 2030 plan, a bold initiative by Ochsner and dozens of partners to lift Louisiana off the bottom of health rankings. As local hospitals and clinics continue to see workers depart, programs and partnerships with collaborators like NOCC offer tangible solutions to growing the healthcare workforce pipeline and to helping more local residents invest in their careers and financial stability.

“At Ochsner, we are thrilled to deepen our partnership with NOCC to reach new talent and deepen opportunities for our youth to enter and ultimately advance new careers in the healthcare industry,” said Missy Sparks, PhD, Vice President of Talent Management at Ochsner. “We have a key role to play to ensure young people in the communities we serve have opportunities to become more economically stable and have mobility in their careers.”

The pilot consists of a combination of industry-based credential certifications, dual-enrollment college coursework, clinical experiences, and workplace preparedness training. Upon completion, students will be eligible to apply to take the NCLEX exam required to exit nursing school and receive a practical nursing license. Louisiana’s PN Board assesses all applications for the exam.

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NEW ORLEANS CITYBUSINESS NAMES NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER AMONG ITS 2022 BEST PLACES TO WORK

NOCC has been named among the New Orleans CityBusiness 20th annual Best Places to Work honorees.

The annual program was created by New Orleans CityBusiness and Best Companies Group to identify, recognize, and honor the best employers in New Orleans, benefitting the area’s economy, workforce, and businesses.

To be considered for participation, companies and organizations had to have a facility in the New Orleans area, have at least 10 employees working here, and be in operation at least one year.

Companies from across Greater New Orleans entered a two-part process to determine this year’s roster of top employers. The first part consisted of evaluation of each nominee’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics (worth 25 percent of the total evaluation). The second part (worth 75 percent) was an anonymous employee survey to measure the employees’ experience.

Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Washington, analyzed the data, and determined the final rankings.

Honorees were selected in the Large Company category (250 or more employees), the Medium Company category (50 - 249 employees) and the Small Company category (10-49 employees).

*Look for NOCC in the Small Company category!

Read the full story.

BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION GRANT TO HELP NEW ORLEANS STUDENTS EARN DEGREES, CERTIFICATES

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a $175,000 grant to a Louisiana initiative that aims to help more students get an associate degree or career technical certification within a year of finishing high school.

The grant recipient, Growing Bridge Year Pathways Across New Orleans, will build from the career and technical training work already being done by other New Orleans-based training providers.

With the grant, the group hopes to expand the number of bridge year program participants in New Orleans to 160 in 2022-23 and 250 in 2023-24.

The grant is part of the newly launched Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation initiative to expand career and technical training.

Read the full story.

A FAST-TRACK ASSOCIATE DEGREE

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launched a new grant program to scale already-successful initiatives across the U.S. that help high school graduates attain postsecondary degrees quickly.

Read the full article.

CAREER CENTER TRAINEES IMAGINE NEW USE FOR CHARITY HOSPITAL BUILDING

Published on April 25, 2022

NEW ORLEANS – From the New Orleans Career Center:

High school students in the engineering/manufacturing pathway at New Orleans Career Center have designed a new use for part of the long-vacant Charity Hospital, thanks to the guidance of professionals in the ACE Mentor Program. NOCC trainees will present their project at the ACE graduation ceremony on April 27 at an event at the University of New Orleans. 

“The students came up with the idea to repurpose part of Charity Hospital as a multiplex with space for job training and services that help unhoused people re-enter society,” said Claire Jecklin, NOCC founding executive director. “The ACE Mentors ensure students understand the complexities involved in a project of that scale, accompany them on in-person visits to area employers, and develop real relationships they can rely on in the future. This program is a huge benefit to NOCC’s trainees, who will enter their working and college careers well- prepared with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed for those environments.”

NOCC’s engineering/manufacturing pathway provides hands-on training in the practical skills of drafting, 3D modeling, and prototyping. Students gain professional certification in Autodesk Inventor, a 3D CAD (computer- aided design) software widely used in industry for product design, rendering and simulation. Those involved in the ACE Mentor Program gain the added benefit of working side-by-side with architects, engineers and construction professionals on a project the students developed themselves.

THE ACE project team at NOCC consists of 13 students from a variety of New Orleans high schools. Students on the team serve in typical project roles such as architectural designers, civil or structural engineeers, construction estimators, project managers and construction supervisors. Six area professionals from architecture, engineering and construction backgrounds advise and mentor the students. 

“The ACE program is as rewarding for the mentors as it is for the students,” said ACE Lead Mentor Joey Lefante, senior associate/traffic engineer at Stantec. “I was impressed by the passion they showed for their chosen project. They saw it as something which could provide a real public service. And at its core, that’s really what our industry is all about. The structure of the Career Center is unique in that it brings together students from many different schools. This helps create a culture of collaboration and prepares them to build relationships in a work environment.”

FROM CULINARY ARTS TO HEALTH CARE, NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER PREPARES STUDENTS FOR JOBS

PRESS RELEASE
Media Contact: Amy B. Ferguson
Amy@fergusonfreelance.com

Published on 02/25/22

NOCC ENCOURAGES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO CONSIDER DUAL ENROLLMENT

NOCC offers dual enrollment to Orleans Parish high school students in engineering, healthcare and culinary arts/hospitality management pathways.

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER OFFERS A FAST TRACK TO PROFESSIONAL GOALS FOR AMBITIOUS HIGH SCHOOLERS

Nola.com discusses the New Orleans Career Center and the parallels to the 431 Exchange and the Adult Education Center founded by Alice Geoffray. Read the article.

INNOVATIVE POST-HIGH-SCHOOL PROGRAM MOVES TO THE NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Amy B. Ferguson
Amy@fergusonfreelance.com, 504.343.7536

YouthForce NOLA Media Contact: Tammy Barney
tammy@youthforcenola.org, 504.407.1798

Published on 10/20/21

New Orleans, La., October 20, 2021– LAUNCH, the first program in New Orleans to provide a bridge for students from high school to college and career, is moving to the New Orleans Career Center (NOCC), beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. 

LAUNCH began at YouthForce NOLA in 2019 as a free year-long career preparation pilot program, following a collaborative application led by New Orleans Public Schools and approved by the Louisiana Department of Education under the innovative extension academy policy. The work done so far by YouthForce NOLA has been essential and will provide a foundation for NOCC to build upon, as both organizations optimize their roles in the youth talent development ecosystem.

“We created LAUNCH to provide students with the skills, confidence and connections needed to develop strong career plans and achieve career success,” said Cate Swinburn, YouthForce co-founder and president. “As an intermediary, YouthForce will continue to harness resources in support of partner programs, pursue policy and other system solutions, and support the continued growth of the youth talent development ecosystem.”  

LAUNCH @ NOCC will continue to multiply postsecondary options and increase economic mobility for young people. Emily Ferris, executive director of LAUNCH at YouthForce, will join the NOCC team and continue to lead the program. 

“With the move to NOCC, we will be able to expand the LAUNCH bridge year program, making the high-quality career prep and technical education offered by local training providers available to more students,” said Claire Jecklin, NOCC founding executive director.  “Thanks to YouthForce NOLA for laying a great foundation and infrastructure. With Emily’s continuing leadership, LAUNCH’s move to NOCC will strengthen the mission, student experience, and outcomes. ” 

LAUNCH is a particularly good fit for seniors who want more time, coaching, and support after high school to develop their five-year college and career plans. LAUNCH participants also develop technical and soft skills while building a network of peers and professional contacts who can support and enhance their personal planning and professional journey. 

During the year, LAUNCH participants start or continue technical training to earn advanced industry-based credentials or certifications, and train for careers in healthcare, skilled crafts, digital media, software development, or information technology.

Angelle Oatis, who currently works as the LAUNCH program assistant at YouthForce, enrolled in LAUNCH in 2019 after graduating from Edna Karr High School. A certified nursing assistant, Angelle completed the LAUNCH program, earning the first Southern New Hampshire University Business Operations Certificate. She recently was admitted to nursing school.

"LAUNCH was a great option for me. I was able to earn pre-nursing certifications and build connections in the healthcare industry,” Oatis said. “LAUNCH was a better opportunity to get a jumpstart on my career rather than four years of college. That's a long time without practical experience.” 

NOCC is expanding the program seats to 60 students for next year. Any student in the Class of 2022 who meets graduation requirements from an open-enrollment New Orleans high school is eligible to apply. The LAUNCH @ NOCC application is now open for current seniors. The priority deadline is Dec. 15, 2021, and the final application deadline is April 30, 2022. 

About New Orleans Career Center

The New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) connects Orleans Parish high school students and adults with clear pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers in healthcare, hospitality, and engineering/manufacturing. Trainees develop the technical and soft skills they need to succeed in professional environments through hands-on learning with industry and education experts. Since opening in 2018, NOCC has prepared more than 725 high school students for college and careers. In 2020, NOCC launched an intensive Rapid Reskill program to train and credential adults 18 and older as certified Patient Care Technicians (PCT). More than 120 adults have earned the PCT certification and gained immediate employment.  For more information, visit Nolacc.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. 

About YouthForce NOLA 

YouthForce NOLA is an education, business, and civic collaborative that builds bridges between school and work. Through its network of partner schools, employers, training providers, and community organizations, YouthForce is opening more doors to economic opportunities for New Orleans students. Its vision is that New Orleans public school graduates will thrive economically as a result of being the most sought-after talent for hiring and advancement in our region’s high-wage career pathways. Learn more at youthforcenola.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER ADDS SENIOR LEVEL STAFF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Amy B. Ferguson
Amy@fergusonfreelance.com, 504.343.7536

Published on 10/08/21

NEW ORLEANS, La., October 8, 2021 – New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) has added two people to its senior-level staff - Jake Gleghorn, Director of Strategic Initiatives, and Martha McKnight, Development and Capital Campaign Director. 

Gleghorn brings 10 years of teaching and education leadership. He is a seasoned strategic planning lead and worked to build and implement a 10-year vision for learning and community at a New Orleans public school. He also worked as a school leader and strategist for a teacher training program where he created and scaled data and management systems across teams to align collective impact. Gleghorn holds a Master’s degree in Education Leadership from LSU and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. He is also a nationally board-certified teacher. 

McKnight brings 35 years of nonprofit management experience to her role at NOCC. A veteran at creating strategic partnerships, growing institutions, and fundraising for K-16 education, she will lead NOCC’s first capital campaign. McKnight helped build NOCCA Riverfront, served as Tulane’s Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, and supported various public school charter management organizations post-Katrina. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English at Yale University. 

About New Orleans Career Center

The New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) connects Orleans Parish high school students and adults with clear pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers in healthcare, engineering and hospitality. Trainees develop the valuable hard and soft skills they need to succeed in professional environments through hands-on learning with industry and education experts. In 2018, NOCC welcomed its first class of 124 into three credential/certification pathways – healthcare, hospitality, and engineering/manufacturing. In 2020, NOCC launched an intensive Rapid Reskill program to train and credential adults 18 and older as certified Patient Care Technicians. To date, NOCC has trained more than 725 high school students and more than 100 adults. For more information visit www.nolacc.org.

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NAMED OFFICER OF CITY’S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Amy B. Ferguson
Amy@fergusonfreelance.com, 504.343.7536

NEW ORLEANS, La., September 15, 2021 – New Orleans Career Center Founding Executive Director Claire Jecklin has been tapped to chair the Youth Committee of the New Orleans Workforce Development Board (NOWDB). The Youth Committee Chair serves as the liaison between NOLA Youth Works and the NOWDB and as convener of leaders of existing youth collaborative tables across New Orleans. The Committee will provide advice and counsel to the NOWDB in developing appropriate programming for Youth Works and in reviewing and recommending for approval the budget of funds available to support youth development programming. 

Jecklin has served as a member of the NOWDB since 2019.

Since NOCC was first awarded its independent 501(c)3 status in 2017, Claire has stood at the helm. She has built the NOCC team, steered the organization from startup funding to a stable and sustainable financial model, led the development of its operational capacity, and forged necessary partnerships with area schools, employers, and higher education institutions. Claire and her team hoped to open NOCC with 20 students. More than 130 high school trainees dove into their career prep pathways in the fall of 2018. In March of 2020, as the COVID pandemic became reality, Claire developed and launched an intensive adult re-skilling program to serve those predicted to lose jobs.

Today, she leads a team of 18 highly accomplished professionals at NOCC, challenging them daily to show up, innovate, and deliver high-quality programs and results. In just three years, NOCC has guided more than 750 high school and adult trainees through its pathways and programs. As a result of her leadership, NOCC trainees are ready to compete - in career, in college, often both -- immediately upon graduation.

Claire also serves on the City’s COVID-19 Re-Opening Task Force, YouthForce NOLA Community Steering Committee, and participates in the Aspen Forum for Community Solutions. A member of the National Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), Claire holds a Master’s degree in Education Leadership and a Bachelor’s degree in English. 

About New Orleans Career Center

The New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) connects Orleans Parish high school students and adults with clear pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers in healthcare, engineering and hospitality. Trainees develop the valuable hard and soft skills they need to succeed in professional environments through hands-on learning with industry and education experts. In 2018, NOCC welcomed its first class of 124 into three credential/certification pathways – healthcare, hospitality, and engineering/manufacturing. In 2020, NOCC launched an intensive Rapid Reskill program to train and credential adults 18 and older as certified Patient Care Technicians. To date, NOCC has trained more than 725 high school students and more than 100 adults. For more information visit www.nolacc.org.

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER BREAKS GROUND ON INNOVATIVE NEW BUILDING AS DEMAND FOR PROGRAMS GROWS

NEW ORLEANS, La., June 14, 2021 – On Thursday, June 17, 2021, New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) will host a ceremonial groundbreaking at its new facility, an innovative career and technical education (CTE) campus located at 1331 Kerlerec St. in the Treme neighborhood. Once complete in late Fall 2022, the new NOCC will have capacity to train approximately 1,000 New Orleans public high school students and adults each year across six high-demand, high-wage career pathways. The building, which originally housed McDonogh 35 High School, is being completely revamped to comprise more than 143,000 square feet of purpose-built space. The $26.9 million LEED-certified facility is among the last to be completed under the Louisiana Department of Education Recovery School District and Orleans Parish School Board School Facilities Master Plan funded by FEMA and CDBG (Community Development Block Grants) after Hurricane Katrina.

“Since NOCC opened the doors in fall of 2018, our growth has been constrained by space. This year, our partner high schools are asking to place more students with us than ever before, because they know the quality and effectiveness of our programs,” said NOCC Founding Executive Director Claire Jecklin. “In the new building, we’ll be able to offer our rigorous, real- world career prep to even more high school students. We’ll be able to work with more employers to design rapid adult training programs and apprenticeships to meet workforce needs. More New Orleanians will have the knowledge, the networks, and the necessary certifications or college credits to secure good jobs that contribute to a thriving and inclusive local economy.”

“The goal of education is to expand the mind, spark curiosity, and prepare young people for the future – as productive, participative citizens,” said NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “That is exactly what NOCC will be able to do more of in this new facility: expand young people’s understanding of locally viable careers, spark their curiosity about occupations they might never before have considered or understood, and prepare them to immediately compete in those fields on graduation.”With the new building, NOCC will expand to offer professional-level certifications and dual enrollment in college courses in six career pathways: Blue/Green Infrastructure, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management, Engineering/Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare, Skilled Crafts/Trades, and Technology and Digital Media. (To date, NOCC has offered training programs in Culinary Arts & Hospitality, Healthcare, and Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing.)

In addition to the high school programs, the customized space will enable NOCC to develop and offer more adult career training programs aligned with New Orleans’ high-demand, high-wage industries. NOCC’s Adult Rapid Reskill Patient Care Technician program, launched in response to COVID-19 pandemic job losses in early 2020 and developed with Ochsner and LCMC Health, has successfully trained more than 120 adults who are offered permanent employment upon certification. Many of those trainees have since gone on to advanced education and training that will move them up the career ladder.

“As we emerge from COVID, the demand for skilled workers is soaring,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “By developing curricula to meet industry demand, the New Orleans Career Center ensures that students are ready for good jobs, and companies have the workers they need to grow. The New Orleans Career Center is a ‘win/win’ for Greater New Orleans.”

The construction project is being managed by JACOBS/CSRS and built by Broadmoor Construction. It was designed by SCNZ Architects.

Since the first high school class entered in 2018, more than 725 students and 100 adult trainees have been prepared to compete in careers and college immediately upon finishing NOCC programs. Nearly 500 have earned professional-level credentials and certifications, making them more desirable to employers. More than 85 have earned college credits through dual enrollment, shaving semesters off their college careers and thousands off their college tuition.

About New Orleans Career Center

The New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) connects Orleans Parish high school students and adults with clear pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers in healthcare, engineering and hospitality. Trainees develop the valuable hard and soft skills they need to succeed in professional environments through hands-on learning with industry and education experts. In 2018, NOCC welcomed its first class of 124 into three credential/certification pathways – healthcare, hospitality, and engineering/manufacturing. In 2020, NOCC launched an intensive Rapid Reskill program to train and credential adults 18 and older as certified Patient Care Technicians. To date, NOCC has trained more than 725 high school students and more than 100 adults. For more information visit www.nolacc.org.

NOCC’S TORRANCE TAYLOR ’21 ON WDSU NEWS

The school year was a lot for many seniors. The workload was different, and the way they learned changed because of the pandemic. One recent graduate from McDonogh 35 didn't let that stop her from rising to the top. 

During the first half of the school year, Torrance Taylor juggled three schools. The 17-year-old was pursuing her bachelor's degree in nursing at Chamberlain College of Nursing. She also enrolled at New Orleans Career Center and graduated with a special certification. 

“I'm a certified CCMA, which means a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, and also in June, once I complete my English, I would have my first year of nursing school down. And after that, all I have is two and a half years left,” said Taylor.

4.0 at all three of the schools, she was valedictorian at McDonogh 35. She also received scholarships from several colleges, including LSU, Loyola, Baylor, University of Arkansas, and UNO, just to name a few. 

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2021!

NEW ORLEANS, La., May 17, 2021 – Despite the trials of the past school year, students at New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) earned professional certifications and college credits while still in high school. These industry - based credentials give NOCC graduates more options when it comes to choosing their own paths after graduation. For the last year they have spent half the school day at their home high school and half the day in career prep and technical education courses at NOCC. For many, the credentials and college credits mean the opportunity to take the first step on a career ladder and save thousands in college tuition.

“The beauty of career prep at NOCC is that students gain hands-on experience and in-depth exposure to achievable careers available to them here in New Orleans. Whether they pursue a college degree or not, and many of them do, when they graduate they have a deep understanding of and the confidence to pursue the steps needed to succeed in their chosen careers,” said Carlin Jacobs, NOCC principal and deputy director.

Here are some of their accomplishments:

Healthcare Academy Graduates

• Norviana Buggage ’21 (Eleanor McMain) – earned a Medical Assistant certification and completed 16 college credits in nursing while at NOCC. Norviana starts her second year of nursing school at Chamberlain University School of Nursing on May 10. She is simultaneously pursuing a Patient Care Technician certification in NOCC’s six-week adult training program. With the professional credentials, the college tuition savings, and the head start on her nursing career, Norviana plans to become an emergency room nurse when she receives a BSN in three years.

• Dayja Davis ’21 (Eleanor McMain) – earned a Medical Assistant certification while at NOCC and plans to find an MA position this summer. Dayja credits the confidence and study skills she gained while at NOCC for her decision to pursue a pre-med degree (neuroscience and psychology) at Loyola in the Fall, and ultimately medical school.

• Torrance Taylor ’21 (McDonogh 35) – Becoming valedictorian at her home high school was not enough for Torrance. At NOCC, she earned the Medical Assistant credential and 16 credits toward a nursing degree at Chamberlain University School of Nursing, where she’ll stay enrolled to complete a BSN. Her NOCC achievements will save her a full year of tuition costs and school time, putting her on a fast track to her goal of becoming a nurse practitioner by the time she’s 24.

Engineering/Manufacturing Academy Graduates:

• Steven Bovia ’21 (KIPP John F. Kennedy) –an avid science student, Steven loved the mechanical engineering training at NOCC so much he will enroll in UNO’s College of Engineering in the Fall. Of 3D modeling, he says, “if you have a vision, you can create almost anything you want.” Steven’s mother, Nakeisha Williams, has been so happy with NOCC she wants Steven’s brother to participate when he reaches 11th or 12th grade too.

• Desontis Hudson ’21 (Sophie B. Wright) – Desontis knew nothing about engineering when she learned about NOCC, but her father knew it involved a lot of math, which his daughter loved. “I didn’t know anything,” she says, “but once I got into it, I fell in love with it.” Desontis heads to Delgado Community College in the fall where she plans to take both engineering and accounting to see which appeals more – or maybe both. “I would love to have several things under my belt to choose from,” she says.

• Tyler Smith ’21 (Edna Karr) – after five years of home schooling, Tyler started Edna Karr in 11th grade and NOCC’s engineering/manufacturing academy in 12th. He’s accumulated enough dual enrollment college credits, in engineering and other subjects, to be a “paper sophomore” when he starts at Fisk University in the Fall.

About New Orleans Career Center

The New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) connects Orleans Parish high school students and adults with clear pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers in healthcare, engineering and hospitality. Trainees develop the valuable hard and soft skills they need to succeed in professional environments through hands-on learning with industry and education experts. In 2018, NOCC welcomed its first class of 124 into three credential/certification pathways – healthcare, hospitality, and engineering/manufacturing. In 2020, NOCC launched an intensive Rapid Reskill program to train and credential adults 18 and older as certified Patient Care Technicians. To date, NOCC has trained more than 725 high school students and more than 100 adults.

NEW ORLEANS TEEN CHEF EXCELS IN GAME-CHANGING CULINARY PROGRAM: 'I ALWAYS HAD A PASSION'

Nola.com - March 6, 2021

Taiquan Domino's eyes light up when he talks about that "little bit of cayenne," the pop that brightens his family's decades-old pork and sausage chili bean recipe. He's gleeful about explosions of flavor in his crawfish-laden Alfredo sauce and marvels over the glossy texture of simple zucchini, which can even make macaroni more interesting.

A senior at McDonogh 35 High School in New Orleans, Domino, 18, has long had the drive to become a professional chef. He started picking up tips at his mom's stovetop when he was in elementary school, learning how to make dishes like spaghetti and meat sauce, passed down from his great-greatgrandmother.

"I started cooking when I was about 7 years old," Domino said. "I always had a passion, all my life."

So when instructors from the fledgling New Orleans Career Center came to his class to recruit students for their new program in hospitality management and culinary arts -- a chance for him refine his technique and make real-world connections in the city's restaurant and catering scene -- well, it was a no-brainer.

"I was all in," Domino laughed.

Fast forward nearly two years to today, and Domino is set to become one of around 30 students to make history as the program's first graduating class of the center's Hospitality, Restaurant, and Tourism Academy, an initiative made possible in part with support from Alon Shaya, the renowned chef who cooked at Domenica and Shaya and now owns Saba in New Orleans, and who also serves on the center's board of directors.

The half-day program offers opportunity for students like Domino to not only earn industry credentials via hands-on experience from some of the best teachers, but also earn college credits through coursework with Delgado Community College.

Domino -- and the program he's enrolled in -- are bright spots of the New Orleans Career Center, according to Claire Jecklin, its executive director and co-founder, who helped start the program in 2017.

Jecklin said the center was finally founded after the Recovery School District and the Orleans Parish School Board saw the need for the decentralized district of charter schools to have a single career and technical education hub. They convened 24 experts in industry education, high school programs, philanthropy, government and economic development to make it happen.

The idea was to cater to "priority industries" identified by GNO, Inc. as having the most potential for future growth, Jecklin said, meaning students were likely to find jobs after their studies. There are currently 16 participating high schools.

Bottom of Form

The first classes started in the 2018-19 school year with a focus in health care, with students learning skills like office management and general medicine from physicians, nurses and assistants, and an engineering and manufacturing program, where students learn about 3D printing, civil engineering and architecture.

For the 2019-20 school year, the center added the two-year hospitality and culinary arts program, Jecklin said. The first year, students learned in a hands-on environment, using the center's culinary lab and gaining real-time hospitality experience in the student-run enterprise, JavaScript Cafe.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, the school went virtual. But it didn't stop hands-on instruction, with instructors like Brooke Berry, a 20-year hospitality industry veteran and chef, teaching classes online to students who received hand-delivered ingredients and materials at home.

The cooking outlet was a godsend to Domino, according to his mom, Kenyetta Domino. She said her son had struggled as his social life came to a standstill when students were sent home to learn virtually and he was falling behind in classes at McDonogh 35.

She told him he had to hold up his end of their deal: To stay in the specialty program, he had to keep his grades up in his regular school, too.

Ultimately, Domino delivered, and then some. Officials have boasted that he's set to become the first student to earn not only three industry certifications, but also nine college credits in hospitality from Delgado, equal to about a semester's worth of classes finished for free.

Looking forward, Domino wants to finish college and then get a graduate degree in business management so he can start his own restaurant in New Orleans.

His mom says a bonus is that he's taken over as family chef for her, his stepdad, brothers and stepsisters in their New Orleans East home. And he can out-cook her now. For instance, she was astounded to learn the secret behind his pasta Alfredo: fried shrimp, for richness, along with sautéed crawfish and a few pinches of crawfish boil seasoning, to spice it up.

"I never would have thought of that!" she said. "And now his spaghetti and meat sauce is really better than mine, too."

Read the original story on Nola.com here.

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER HELPS TURN PANDEMIC JOB LOSSES INTO NEW CAREERS

70 Adults now working as Patient Care Technicians at Ochsner Health and LCMC Health

 NEW ORLEANS, La., January 18, 2021 – Since March 2020, nearly 100 adults have completed the Adult Rapid Reskill program conceived by New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) Executive Director Claire Jecklin. This no-cost program has enabled dozens of hospitality workers unemployed by the pandemic go to work in new career paths as Patient Care Technicians (PCTs). Anyone who passes the PCT credentialing test at the end of the program has a guaranteed job offer from a local healthcare organization. Four cohorts of adults ages 19 to 66 have already completed the program, 86 percent of whom are working in PCT positions at Ochsner Health and LCMC Health. A fifth cohort finishes at the end of January.

“It was immediately clear that NOCC was uniquely qualified to help solve two urgent problems created by the pandemic: enormous job losses in our community, and an urgent need for healthcare workers as institutions filled with COVID patients,” said Jecklin. “We already had the credentialed teachers and the employer relationships. Together, we were able to stand up a quality program that has put locals back to work, and, helped ease some of the healthcare workload by adding qualified patient care staff.”

Less than 30 days after statewide shutdown orders were issued, Jecklin, the NOCC staff, and a talent management official at Ochsner Health co-designed and launched the Adult Rapid Reskill program to train and certify PCTs, a position widely seen as an early stepping-stone to becoming a nurse. Entergy provided startup funding to launch this program.

“Thanks to our partnership with NOCC, we were able to turn challenges into opportunities for our organization and for several of our community members,” said Tracey Schiro, Senior Vice President of Risk Management and Chief Human Resources Officer, Ochsner Health. “The necessity for a trained healthcare workforce has never been more important, and this program and similar initiatives can provide our neighbors with fulfilling, stable career opportunities. We look forward to providing more training and resources to our community.” Missy Hopson Sparks, Vice President of Talent Management at Ochsner, co-designed the program with Jecklin.

To date, Ochsner has sponsored three cohorts of adult trainees. LCMC Health has sponsored one cohort; their second group starts Feb. 1st.

“LCMC Health is committed to investing in our community during these difficult times,” said Greg Feirn, CEO, LCMC Health. “Our hospital system serves the healthcare needs of the community, many of whom are part of the hospitality industry. Through this exciting new program, we can address the needs of two valuable local workforces and industries.” 

According to the National Healthcareer Association, the credentialing body for allied health and patient care workers, NOCC tested and credentialed the highest number of individuals into these professions in Louisiana in 2020. Last year was NOCC’s first entry into adult workforce training.

About New Orleans Career Center

New Orleans Career Center serves as the technical and career prep hub for Orleans Parish public high school juniors and seniors. Students attend half-day at their own school, and half-day at NOCC. In 2018, NOCC welcomed its first class of 124 into three credential/certification pathways – healthcare, hospitality, and engineering/manufacturing. This year, more than 300 juniors and seniors are pursuing expanded career certifications and credentials at NOCC. NOCC has trained 725 high school students since its founding in 2018.

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER RESUMES JANUARY 4TH, STUDENTS SHOULD FOLLOW GUIDANCE FROM HOME HIGH SCHOOLS REGARDING ATTENDANCE

PRESS RELEASE
Published on 01/03/22

New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) will resume classes as scheduled for the Spring semester on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. NOCC students and staff will continue to follow current COVID vaccination and testing rules established by the City of New Orleans and Mayor LaToya Cantrell. 

All students should follow guidance from their home high schools about attendance requirements regarding vaccination, testing or quarantine. For example, a student cleared for in-person instruction at their home high school will be allowed to attend class at NOCC in person as well. 

Students whose home high schools have switched to virtual learning may be able to attend NOCC in-person but will need to provide their own transportation to NOCC. NOCC buses will resume service on the same day each school returns to in-person instruction. 

Anyone with questions regarding NOCC guidelines should contact the student’s NOCC instructor via Schoology. Questions about requirements for returning to specific schools should be directed to students’ high school guidance counselors. 

About New Orleans Career Center

The New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) connects Orleans Parish high school students and adults with clear pathways to high-demand, high-wage careers in healthcare, hospitality, and engineering/manufacturing. Trainees develop the technical and soft skills they need to succeed in professional environments through hands-on learning with industry and education experts. Since opening in 2018, NOCC has prepared more than 725 high school students for college and careers. In 2020, NOCC launched an intensive Rapid Reskill program to train and credential adults 18 and older as certified Patient Care Technicians (PCT). More than 120 adults have earned the PCT certification and gained immediate employment.  For more information, visit Nolacc.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.