Welcome to the working world: New High School Grads Sign With Local Employers During New Orleans Career Center’s Signing Day

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Just days before graduation, 40 New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) seniors accepted employment offers from major regional employers. Boh Bros. Construction LLC, Louisiana Restaurant Association, Ochsner Health, and RNGD all extended job offers that directly align with the training and industry-based certifications the trainees gained at NOCC while in high school. All of the employer partners screened and interviewed trainees at NOCC’s first annual Hiring Day in April.

“Signing Day is the culmination of these young people’s experience at NOCC. Our goal has always been to connect our trainees and our employer partners throughout the entire year,” said Carlin Jacobs, NOCC Chief Programs Officer. “We want trainees to meet and get to know working professionals, both to understand their careers and build professional networks. Our employer partners witness the curiosity and the desire to learn that motivate our young people to earn industry-based credentials and become work-ready.” [See Signing Day video here – approved for media use.]

Boh Bros. hired NOCC Building Trades trainees Torrance Brumfield and Titon Reimonenq into construction positions with the company. “Boh Bros. has been a proud supporter of the New Orleans Careers Center since we began construction on their building in 2021. NOCC’s leadership team understands the current challenges in both the educational space and the labor market, but equally importantly they have worked hard to understand what it takes for a graduate to be job ready. We believe they are in a unique position to help bridge the gap for our community and we are excited to be a part of it,” said Robert Senior, Boh Bros. Chief Financial Officer. 

Louisiana Restaurant Association accepted six Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management trainees into Registered Apprenticeships: Aniya Bailey-Kelly, Brianna Blunt, Heavan Hall, Tasia Harris, Patrick Holland, and Tia Jolivette. 

Ochsner has hired 30 NOCC healthcare trainees (see names below) to work at its Baptist campus. "Ochsner Health is committed to workforce development and supporting the communities we serve. Our partnership with New Orleans Career Center is building community and building a strong foundation to help us meet our workforce needs. During the time they spent at Baptist during their training, these young people have demonstrated they have the skills, the industry credentials, and the work ethic to be successful in a healthcare environment. We're pleased to welcome them to the team at Ochsner Baptist," said Ochsner Baptist Chief Executive Officer Beth Walker. 

Ten of the new Ochsner hires are members of the city’s first LPN Apprenticeship program, a partnership between NOCC, Delgado Charity School of Nursing and Ochsner. They have now officially become LPN Apprentices at Ochsner and will work clinical hours there while taking classes at Delgado to complete their three-year LPN journey next year. 

RNGD, a Palmisano company, has hired Building Trades trainees Girod County and Sheldon Stocks into construction positions. 

Employer partners engage with NOCC in a variety of ways, whether offering work-based learning visits, providing guest instructors, or professional mentors to trainees. These efforts each provide insight into the caliber of training at NOCC and the employability of NOCC grads. 

Throughout the school year, NOCC trainees also practice interview skills, learn skills that contribute to their employability such as how to communicate professionally, how and when to take initiative, learning from mistakes or obstacles, financial literacy, and more.  

This school year more NOCC high school trainees than ever before earned their industry-based credentials – 89 percent of those who tested. NOCC’s high school trainees come from 22 partner public high schools throughout the city, spending half-day at NOCC and half-day at their home high school. The highly sought-after industry-based credentials span five in-demand regional industries: healthcare, building trades, engineering, digital media, and culinary arts/hospitality management. 

Early certification translates to a significant advantage for these young people. Not only do they now have a leg up in the region’s competitive job market, they also gained two months of extra experience, from additional hands-on training at NOCC to work-based learning opportunities with local employers, clinical rotations with local health systems, and eligibility for Registered Apprenticeships.

Each year, most of the Orleans Parish high school students who earn advanced industry-based credentials do so at NOCC. In 2023, that proportion hit 77%. NOCC is the hub for the city’s career and technical education programs for high schoolers and the flagship workforce development location for both students and adults. Watch our credential ceremony honoring this year’s certified trainees here.

Ochsner Hires: 

Certified Patient Care Technicians

Tionna Albert

Sache Ayala

Dajanae Covington

Tiara Ellis

Syrae Henry

Fernanda Hernandez

Kenderick Hills

Alirea Johnson

Mariah Jones

Corey Kelly

Cai Meads

Gabrielle Miller

Sadaya Polk

Christianey Williams

Certified Clinical Medical Assistants

Kennedy Dixon

Brooke Hobbs

Amay’a Jones

Tatyana Quinn

Ange’l Smith

Alaya Tanksley

LPN Apprentices
Danielle Bryant

Jazzi Garrett

Yohana Gutierrez

Geovan Jackson

Reianne Lewis

Madison’lee Moore

Fatimah Sherman

Ja’Mya Williams

Jamyrion Williams

Sa’Myra Wilson

EDITORS NOTE: Exclusive individual trainee stories, b-roll of hands-on training, and video of trainee interviews available upon request. Contact Amy Ferguson for more.

NOCC students unveil design for former Six Flags

By Makenna Mincey
Contributing Writer

High school students across New Orleans came together this year to do something big for their city: design an ideal recreation and entertainment venue.

On April 17 at 6 p.m. in the Senator Ted Hickey Ballroom of the University of New Orleans’ University Center, students from the New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) presented their project – a water park and a multi-story outdoor entertainment venue – at the ACE graduation ceremony.

“The students participating in ACE this year at NOCC have been doing an excellent job working with the architect, construction, and engineering mentors to come up with a creative idea that they would like to see in the community,” said Brett Ruppel, chief construction officer at RNGD, a Palmisano Company.

“They began the year by storyboarding out the idea into a real project and have progressed through the design, engineering, construction cost and build schedule of what they thought up. Exposing the students early to the three ACE disciplines with participating mentors from local companies gives the real-world connection to a future career that is sometimes hard to envision,” Ruppel continued.

The ACE Mentor Program of America connects students at New Orleans Career Center with professionals in architecture, construction and engineering fields, and then challenges them to use what they have learned to create the change they want to see in their community. With guidance from their mentors, NOCC students in the ACE Mentor Program reimagined the former New Orleans East Six Flags property as the “Bottom of the Bayou” water park.

“At the beginning of the school year we all came together and we were just looking for a place to build something in and we ended up doing a water park idea. So, we went back to the old Six Flags because you know, it’s kind of the same structure of a water park, however it’s not really being used,” said Fatima Hernandez, a NOCC student.

The efforts of this program go far beyond the culminating project, though. The ACE program has been around for 30 years, dedicated to creating a better equipped and inclusive workforce by providing new skills and new goals for its students, while also benefiting them socially.

“With this program I was able to learn how to quickly communicate with everybody else, how to read a situation, and also how to be able to just understand everybody’s different opinions, because that was like a big thing with my group. We came up with different ideas and then we had to discuss whether it was good for our project or not, so I think, like a lot of social skills were such a good gain for me,” Hernandez stated.

In total, 53 students and 20 mentors participated in the ACE Mentorship Program this year, divided into three teams. This is only a portion of the amazing work that came from the program’s talent this year. The next generation of New Orleans infrastructure is here, and the future is looking brighter than ever before.

“I heard about this program and the first year that I mentored local high school students I was like, ‘Wow, I wish I had something like this growing up,’” said ACE Mentorship Program Chair for New Orleans Lexi Tengco.

Tengco, a vice president with Multi.Studio, an architecture firm which specializes in education design, believes the program is helping to unlock untapped resources for the city’s design and development future – a new generation of architecture and design professionals.

“I think it’s a tremendous benefit,” Tengco continued, “especially because we have so much development in New Orleans and we really want to retain that local talent. So, in order to do that, you have to show students opportunities that exist after they graduate.”

To learn more about the ACE Mentor Program, visit www.acementor.org.

This article originally published in the April 22, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER CELEBRATES CERTIFICATION MILESTONE

New Orleans, La., April 15, 2024 — More high school trainees than ever before at New Orleans Career Center earned their industry-based credentials as of March 15, 2024 – two months before the end of the school year. An impressive 85 percent of trainees from 22 partner public high schools throughout the city have now passed highly sought-after certifications across five in-demand regional industries: healthcare, building trades, engineering, digital media, and culinary arts/hospitality management.  

Early certification translates to a significant advantage for these young people. Not only do they now have a leg up in the region’s competitive job market, they also gained two months of extra experience, from additional hands-on training at NOCC to work-based learning opportunities with local employers, clinical rotations with local health systems, and eligibility for Registered Apprenticeships.

Each year, most of the Orleans Parish high school students who earn advanced industry-based credentials do so at NOCC. In 2023, that proportion hit 77%. NOCC is the hub for the city’s career and technical education programs for high schoolers and the flagship workforce development location for both students and adults.

Watch our credential ceremony honoring this year’s certified trainees here.

CityBusiness: NOCC named among 2023 Best Places to Work for Second Year

For the second consecutive year, New Orleans Career Center has been ranked among the city’s Best Places to Work by New Orleans CityBusiness. To compete in the the annual ranking, companies must submit nomination forms disclosing workforce data such as salaries, benefits, retention levels and employee advancement. The next part of the process involves an anonymous survey of company employees to measure workplace culture.

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

Source: https://neworleanscitybusiness.com/blog/2023/12/15/best-places-to-work-2023/

NOLA.com: New Orleans is giving $5M in COVID money to 10 nonprofits for new economic mobility project

NOCC receiving $500,000 toward career prep and technical education for underemployed youth

NEW ORLEANS (TP|Nola.com) — New Orleans is handing out millions in federal American Rescue Plan Act money to 10 local nonprofits as part of a new economic mobility project, the city announced Wednesday.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration will direct $5 million to 10 community-based organizations s as part of the city’s Economic Mobility in Motion project.

Each group will receive between $250,000 and $1 million for initiatives aimed at improving financial literacy, career opportunities and economic prospects, Cantrell said in a press release. 

The programs will help an estimated 3,000 people. 

“The selected programs represent a variety of initiatives that are making a real difference for our people, and I express my gratitude to them for ensuring no one is left behind as we move New Orleans forward,” Cantrell said in the press release.

Projects proposed include guaranteed income programs for 100 pregnant mothers under the March of Dimes and for 800 at-risk students who attend the Rooted School on Southern University’s campus. Both organizations were awarded $1 million.

The First 72+, a group that connects formerly incarcerated people with critical resources, was awarded $500,000, along with the New Orleans Career Center in support of healthcare and technical education programs for underemployed youth.

"Economic stability is a critical determinant of an individual's health outcomes,” said Director of New Orleans Health Department Dr. Jennifer Avegno. “Addressing social needs through anti-poverty programs, financial literacy and asset building has been shown to significantly improve length and quality of life,” she said.

Source: https://www.nola.com/news/new-orleans-is-giving-5m-in-covid-money-to-10-nonprofits-for-new-economic-mobility/article_b17a7086-b000-11ee-ac06-57a41abc5e90.html

WGNO: Entergy awarded $55M federal grant to strengthen New Orleans’ power grid

NOCC named among Entergy’s workforce development partners in grant.

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Entergy New Orleans has been awarded a $55 million federal grant from the United States Department of Energy, announced on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

The grant will fund Entergy’s “Line Hardening and Battery Microgrid” project, which aims to enhance local power grids against severe weather, like hurricanes and tornadoes, to reduce power outages.

Entergy officials said the benefits of the project include:

• Hardening the transmission of 97 structures, which is expected to prevent more than 564 million customer minutes of interruptions.

• Hardening the distribution of 381 structures, which is expected to prevent more than 45 million customer minutes of interruptions.

• Hardening and battery installation which will improve resilience during extreme weather situations, by reducing the expected frequency and time of outages due to electric infrastructure

• Deploying a line hardening and battery backup project, which will lower energy bills for communities.

The grant award also includes a community benefits plan that allows Entergy to work with community partners, like the New Orleans Career Center, the First72+ and Delgado Community College on workforce development programs.

It will also allow Entergy to work alongside the Community Benefits Advisory Board to ensure that customers in the area remain informed of construction updates.  

“This is a huge win for our customers, for our community, and for the City of New Orleans,” said CEO of Entergy New Orleans Deanna Rodriguez. “Federal grant funds at this scale will enable us to make our grid stronger — to keep the lights on longer when storms threaten in the future, and to restore power more quickly when service is interrupted. These funds will help offset the cost burden on our customers.”

Source: https://wgno.com/news/louisiana/orleans-parish/entergy-awarded-55m-federal-grant-to-strengthen-new-orleans-power-grids/

EXPANSION CONTINUES AS NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER HIRES & PROMOTES

NEW ORLEANS, La. August 9, 2023 – New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) continues its expansion to provide career prep and technical training to more New Orleanians with staff additions and a promotion. Each role extends the organization’s capacity to serve as many as 1,000 trainees a year across its high school and adult programs.  

Promotion

Courtney Guidry has been promoted to Director of Work-Based Learning & Apprenticeships. Guidry cultivates and manages NOCC’s work-based learning partnerships with local and regional employers. She also coordinates with the Louisiana Workforce Commission, unions, and employers to develop and maintain pre-apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships in high-demand industry sectors. Guidry was previously NOCC’s lead engineering/manufacturing instructor and work-based learning coordinator. 

New Hires

Janelle DeJan joined NOCC as Building Trades Industry and Partnerships Manager/Instructor. A Master Electrician, DeJan honed her craft over 20 years working on flood-damaged homes and commercial projects. She became a trades instructor specifically to increase minority leadership roles and participation in the electrical industry.  

Latasha Duncan, MSN, FNP, RN has begun as a Pre-Nursing/Nursing Instructor. She has nearly 30 years of nursing experience, is a Family Nurse Practitioner, and holds multiple additional nursing practice certifications.She most recently served as a Neuro-oncology chemotherapy nurse at Tulane Cancer Center treating patients with rare brain tumors.  

Lisa Encalade has been hired as Director of Facilities & Transportation. In this role, she oversees day-to-day operations of NOCC’s new building and manages trainee transportation to and from their high schools. Encalade previously worked in operations for InspireNOLA Charter Schools, Renew Charter Schools and the Recovery School District. 

Rickey Henry joined NOCC as Digital Media/IT Training Manager and Instructor. As a graphic design, art, and technology instructor, Henry brings the perfect combination of skills and experience to develop NOCC’s digital media and production pathways. Most recently, he served as CTE Coordinator for New Orleans College Prep. 

Lauren Miller has been hired as Adult Rapid Reskill Program Coordinator. In this role, Miller develops and implements program strategies for worksite development, skills training, recruitment, referral, and coordination of additional services for adult trainees. Miller was previously a high school Spanish teacher and nonprofit operations support contractor. 

Brittany Oden was hired as NOCC’s new Receptionist. Oden previously served as a Customer Service Coordinator at the Tulane Cancer Center. 

Terrance Payne joined NOCC as Building Trades Curriculum and Recruiting Manager/Instructor. He moved to New Orleans specifically to pursue a career teaching skilled trades to local students. Payne has worked in a wide range of construction fields, including flooring, carpentry, and heavy machinery operation. 

Anthonise Reese joined as Director of High School. Reese was previously Director of Career & Technical Education and a CTE Advisor at Warren Easton Charter High School. At NOCC, she leads high school training and oversees all instructional staff. She brings more than 20 years of CTE and education experience to her new role. 

Austin Richards joined NOCC as Digital Marketing Specialist. In this role, Richards will plan and execute social media and digital marketing efforts on behalf of NOCC to extend the organization’s reputation and reach into the community. 

Tanara Tenette has been hired as Director of Healthcare Training. In this role, Tenette will lead NOCC’s healthcare pathways, supervising healthcare instructors and overseeing their continued professional development. Tenette brings more than 20 years of academic and instructional leadership, along with direct healthcare experience, to this role. 

Brittney Y. Williams joined as Transition Coordinator. In this role, she acts as both super-supporter and liaison between trainees and their families and the next step, whether further training, employment or both. Williams brings a unique combination of experiences in higher education, behavioral health, and secondary education to help trainees explore and prepare for their post-graduation lives. 

Read more about this on NOLA.com.

NOCC’s first 5 Years!

FOUR NOCC SENIORS ACE ENGINEERING/MANUFACTURING TRAINING AND HEAD TO LSU

ACE Mentors Program trainees Giancarlo Casalegno, Clarence Cotton III, Rashad Thornton and Kameryn Washington all start LSU in the fall with scholarships resulting from their ACE Mentors participation and individual achievements.

NEW ORLEANS, La.– Giancarlo Casalegno, Clarence Cotton III, Rashad Thornton, and Kameryn Washington spent their senior year at New Orleans Career Center designing a sustainable electric go-kart track for New Orleans youth under guidance of their ACE Mentors and NOCC instructors. The collaboration and the work have paid off. All four will head to LSU in the fall to study engineering and architecture. Collectively, they’ve earned more than $20,000 in merit scholarships to help pave the way.

Cotton, Thornton and Washington received scholarships from the Palmisano Foundation, the charitable arm of WJ Palmisano, which aids students interested in the architecture, engineering and construction professions.

Cotton and Washington also received scholarships from the ACE Mentors Program, which pairs working professionals in architecture, construction and engineering with high school students to inspire and engage them to pursue careers in those fields.

Thornton plans to pursue a degree in civil engineering, Cotton has declared a mechanical engineering major, and Washington hopes to enter the architecture program.

Casalegno, who will graduate from New Orleans Maritime & Military Academy (NOMMA), has received Flagship Scholars award, Innovation Scholarship and Academic Excellence Scholarship from  LSU where he plans to pursue a degree in computer science.

“One of the biggest things I’ve gained at NOCC is confidence,” Cotton said. “Confidence that I can solve problems, that I can make it through LSU and get my degree, that I can be an engineer like I want to be and have that career.”

While at NOCC, all four ACE Mentors participants earned Autodesk® Inventor certifications and completed introductory engineering courses through UNO’s College of Engineering.  

New Orleans Career Center trainees choose career prep and technical education from among engineering/manufacturing, healthcare, culinary arts/hospitality management, building trades, and digital/IT pathways. They attend NOCC half-day, every day, for the entire school year, for one to three years.

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CREDENTIALS MEAN CONFIDENCE FOR NOCC SENIORS STARTING CAREERS AND COLLEGE

Pre-Nursing Instructor Jeraneta Davenport, Class of 2023 Sophie B. Wright graduates and NOCC certified Patient Care Technicians, Kelsie Tero, and Cynthia Tejeda with Dean of Students, Ashley Jones.

Record number of trainees earn professional certifications.

NEW ORLEANS, La. – More than 100 seniors from 18 of the city’s public high schools are graduating with more than a high school diploma because they spent half the day, every day at New Orleans Career Center (NOCC). This year 114 seniors earned professional-level, industry-based credentials at NOCC – more than in any prior year – in healthcare, engineering/manufacturing, and culinary arts and hospitality management. Many of them also earned college credits through UNO and Nunez Community College, placing them ahead of their peers toward degrees.

“My Autodesk® Inventor certification and the college engineering courses I took while I was at NOCC, plus our classes and projects, gave me the confidence to know I’ll succeed at LSU,” said Clarence Cotton III, a Warren Easton Charter High School Class of 2023 graduate. Cotton will start LSU in the fall majoring in Mechanical Engineering. “If I weren’t going to LSU, with my Inventor certification I could go out and get a job I could support myself with right now.”

He is one of 17 NOCC engineering/manufacturing trainees to graduate with this certification.

In NOCC’s healthcare pathways, 30 seniors earned the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant credential and 41 earned the Certified Patient Care Technician credential. Both certifications qualify them to enter high-demand healthcare career paths well-positioned to succeed. 

Twenty-six culinary arts and hospitality management trainees earned credits from Nunez Community College. More than half of those (15) earned Nunez’s Culinary Arts Certificate of Technical Studies, for which 30 hours of coursework is required across core and major courses and a C or better grade.

“These credentials and industry-aligned training give our graduating seniors important advantages over their peers,” said Carlin Jacobs, NOCC Chief Programs Officer. “They’re immediately employable in well-paid, high-demand jobs with real, achievable career ladders. Those who want to go on to college have the skills to work in their desired fields while in school, start gaining work experience at an earlier starting point, and take advantage of tuition reimbursement opportunities to help pay their tuition.” 

23 High School Participants Commit to LPN Apprenticeship Program During Signing Day

News Release

NEW ORLEANS, La., April 17, 2023 – Families, officials and instructors gathered recently at Delgado Community College’s Ochsner Center for Nursing and Allied Health to celebrate Signing Day for the inaugural class of the city’s new free, three-year path to becoming Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). The 23 LPN trainees who signed their commitment letters attend seven different high schools across the city. The new pilot LPN apprenticeship program was developed by New Orleans Career Center (NOCC), Delgado Charity School of Nursing, and Ochsner Health. It is the only program of its kind in New Orleans.

“We looked for candidates who could commit, who had the drive, the acumen, and the support to see it through all three years,” said Carlin Jacobs, Chief Programs Officer at NOCC. “I’m thrilled with the caliber of these young people from New Orleans public high schools. Thanks to the support from school guidance counselors and our partnerships with Ochsner and Delgado, we have found a very impressive first cohort for the LPN program.”

Kaylin Blanchard – Edna Karr High School

Amari Simmons – Edna Karr High School

Fayvean Thomas – Edna Karr High School

Damyre White – Edna Karr High School

Brent Evans – Frederick A. Douglass High School

Keirra Lawrence – Frederick A. Douglass High School

Loreal Burnett – G. W. Carver High School

Yohana Gutierrez – L.B. Landry High School

Ciara Dregory – McDonogh 35 Senior High School

Christopher Terry – McDonogh 35 Senior High School

Ja’Mya Williams – McDonogh 35 Senior High School

Jamyrion Williams – McDonogh 35 Senior High School

Danielle Bryant – Eleanor McMain High School

Jazzi Garrett – Eleanor McMain High School

Amarie Howard – Eleanor McMain High School

Geovan Jackson – Eleanor McMain High School

Paris Jones – Eleanor McMain High School

Ganaé Jackson – Warren Easton Charter High School

Kemora Jefferson – Warren Easton Charter High School

Reianne Lewis – Warren Easton

Madison’lee Moore – Warren Easton

Fatimah Sherman – Warren Easton

Sa’Myra Wilson – Warren Easton

Starting in the fall of 2023, training will be conducted year-round at NOCC, Delgado, and Ochsner. Trainees will complete coursework and clinical requirements equivalent to any other state-approved LPN program. 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 State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners assesses all applications for the exam.

Delgado’s Practical Nursing Program prepares the student for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). 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.

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 About New Orleans Career Center

The New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) is the career and technical education hub for New Orleanians seeking entry into the region’s high-demand, high-wage employment sectors. We offer professional-level training for high school students, the LAUNCH fifth-year program for those who’ve just graduated from high school, and a Rapid Reskill program for adults. Since 2018, more than 1,000 local residents have gained the technical and soft skills they need to succeed in professional environments through hands-on training with industry and education experts. NOCC recently moved into its purpose-built forever home at 1331 Kerlerec Street which provides more than 143,000 s.f. of customized instructional space and nearly triples the training capacity.

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Featured on TODAY Show: Culinary & Hospitality Trainees Brown Butter Rice Cereal Treats

This take on a classic sweet treat gains a little more nuance from browned butter. In the process of browning, the flavor becomes nutty, which you will smell as it cooks.

TECHNIQUE TIP: Keep a close eye on the butter as it's browning and swirl the pan, or remove it from the heat for a few seconds if you feel it's getting too hot. Don't rush the process.

Ingredients

• cooking spray or neutral oil for the pan

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

• 1 (10-ounce) bag marshmallows

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 4½ cups crispy rice cereal

Preparation

1. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, then grease with cooking spray or wipe with oil.

2. Add the butter to a large saucepan set over low heat. Add the vanilla bean paste into the pan with the butter. The butter will melt, then begin to bubble and foam. Eventually, it will start to turn brown and smell nutty (be patient and watch carefully, as it can go from brown to burned quickly).

3. Once the butter is browned, add all of the marshmallows and the salt. Stir the mixture constantly until the marshmallows are completely melted. Turn off the heat under the pan and add the cereal. Use a rubber spatula or to coat the cereal evenly with the buttery marshmallow liquid. Spread the mixture in an even layer in the prepared baking pan. Let cool for at least an hour before cutting and serving.

Boh Bros. Construction Donates $100,000 to New Orleans Career Center

News Release

NEW ORLEANS, La., March 21, 2023 – Today New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) received a $100,000 contribution from Boh Bros. Construction Co., LLC to support construction industry career preparation and technical training. NOCC launches its skilled trades training in the fall and will accept 200 trainees from New Orleans high schools in the inaugural cohort. During the two-year training, high school participants will be introduced to all trades and will continue training in the career pathway of their choosing. Trainees will earn industry-based credentials valued by the local trades unions and employers, a key first step onto the construction industry career ladder.

“Boh Bros. is pleased to support the important work of the New Orleans Career Center as it begins operations in its beautiful new space on Kerlerec Street,” said Robert S. Boh, Chairman and CEO of the company. “Giving young New Orleanians the opportunity to receive construction industry career preparation and technical training will provide our high school graduates an awareness of the options they have to shape their future. We encourage our industry peers to join us in making the New Orleans Career Center a big success.”

“We’re enormously grateful to Boh Bros. for this gift and for their collaboration,” said Claire Jecklin, CEO of NOCC. “This will enable us to outfit our carpentry, electrical, welding, and machining labs with professional-grade tools and equipment.” NOCC accepts sophomores, juniors and seniors from all Orleans Parish high schools who are on track to graduate. Trainees spend half the school day at NOCC and half at their home high schools for the full school year.

The Boh Bros. gift comes via The NOLA Coalition. “On behalf of The NOLA Coalition, we commend Boh Bros. for their investment in the New Orleans Career Center,” said Michael Hecht of GNO, Inc., one of the organizers of The NOLA Coalition. “Companies like Boh Bros. are demonstrating the win/win of investing in our youth, while preparing the workforce of tomorrow.” 

Industry and employer partnerships inform all NOCC career and technical education pathways. For the skilled trades, NOCC sought the input of area construction professionals, trade unions, and trade training programs to inform the design of training spaces and skills being taught. Four state-of-the-art labs surround a covered, outdoor collaborative courtyard where the trainees will work on projects together, just as they would on a real job site.

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About New Orleans Career Center

The New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) is the career and technical education hub for New Orleanians seeking entry into the region’s high-demand, high-wage employment sectors. We offer professional-level training for high school students, the LAUNCH fifth-year program for those who’ve just graduated from high school, and a Rapid Reskill program for adults. Since 2018, more than 1,000 local residents have gained the technical and soft skills they need to succeed in professional environments through hands-on training with industry and education experts. NOCC occupies a 143,000 s.f. building in the heart of Tremé that was designed to provide industry-informed training spaces for as many as 1,000 people each year.

For more information, visit Nolacc.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

HEALTHCARE-WORKERS-IN-TRAINING LEARN TO “STOP THE BLEED” AT OCHSNER HEALTH

News Release

NEW ORLEANS, La. – More than 80 New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) high school trainees learned to “stop the bleed” at Ochsner Health recently. Healthcare trainees and their NOCC instructors spent two school days with Ochsner Education Outreach at Ochsner’s Clinical Simulation and Patient Safety Center on Jefferson Highway. In addition to this life-saving skill, the trainees practiced CPR, learned how to draw and inject medications, insert nasogastric tubes, and care for wounds. They were also introduced to the fields of infectious diseases and public health as possible career options. Work-based learning visits form an integral part of the NOCC career exploration and training process.

 “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 Carlin Jacobs, Chief Program Officer at NOCC. “Work-based learning visits like this one help us to offer truly meaningful career preparation, which is one of the things NOCC does best. And that is thanks in part to the depth of our employer partnerships.” 

NOCC trainees interacted with mannequins, simulated body parts, and working professionals throughout the day, including learning what various types of wounds feel like, whether surgical or accidental. They were also introduced to how diseases spread during a simulated social situation and conversation with Melvenia M. Martin, PhD, Scientific Director of Ochsner’s Education Outreach Program.

“We are thrilled to work with NOCC, to provide new opportunities for our youth to learn from professionals in our healthcare system, and to help the next generation enter and ultimately advance new careers in the healthcare industry,” said Dr. Martin.

NOCC’s career and technical education programs prepare New Orleanians to enter the region’s growth industries, including healthcare. Instructors in the healthcare pathway are multi-faceted allied health and nursing professionals who ensure trainees learn Basic Life Support, CPR, medical assisting and pre-nursing skills. All trainees work toward industry-based, professional-level certifications and credentials required for many high-demand occupations.

The Ochsner Clinical Simulation and Patient Safety Center is a multi-disciplinary, interprofessional training center that offers the most current technology to improve patient safety through the training of all practicing clinicians, along with students and residents. Its high-fidelity human patient simulators mimic the physiologic functions of a real patient. This allows learners to acquire and practice clinical skills in a safe environment.

NASA MICHOUD ASSEMBLY FACILITY INSPIRES TRAINEES DURING RECENT VISIT

News Release

Advanced manufacturing and aerospace engineering careers made real during NASA facility and Nunez Community College tours

NEW ORLEANS, La. – More than 30 high school trainees in New Orleans Career Center’s (NOCC) engineering/manufacturing pathway recently visited NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility. Michoud officials from NASA, Boeing and Lockheed Martin highlighted every step of the Artemis I Orion spacecraft’s construction, from component creation to final assembly of the core module and crew capsule. Work-based learning events like these offer NOCC trainees important exposure to future career options and help them build their own networks of working professionals. The group then visited Nunez Community College’s Aerospace Manufacturing Technology program designed to prepare Louisiana’s future aerospace manufacturing workforce.

“Learning about and seeing the entire assembly line for creating parts of a spaceship to send astronauts to space was mind-blowing,” said NOCC engineering/manufacturing trainee Kierstyn Guilbeau, who is also a senior at McDonogh 35 Senior High School. “We saw the entire process from drawing it out, to creating and welding parts, to bolting the individual sections together and attaching all parts of the spaceship so they could eventually send the astronauts off. Before the field trip, I was extremely clueless about aerospace engineering, what was going on in the NASA facility, and the impact their projects will have. Makes you realize people just like me can do extremely hard work like checking, double-checking and triple-checking work because there can be no mistake in the building process. It has opened my eyes to a new opportunity.”

NOCC’s career and technical education programs prepare New Orleanians for high-wage, high-demand occupations in the region’s growth industries, including engineering and advanced manufacturing. The engineering/manufacturing pathway introduces young people to computer-aided design, prototyping, 3D modeling and more. All trainees work toward industry-based, professional-level technical certifications and credentials required for many high-demand occupations. NOCC Engineering/Manufacturing instructors Allyson McKinney and Courtney Guidry led the group. They were joined by Andreas Pashos, Aerospace Program Manager at Nunez, who made the visit possible.

Read the Biz New Orleans coverage of the visit here.

TALK DAT: NOLA Education with Dr. Jahquille Ross and NOCC’s Chief Strategy Officer Jake Gleghorn

WBOK-AM 1230 Talk Dat: NOLA Education - Live Interview on March 7, 2023

Jake and Jahquille talk all things NOCC, from the beginnings of the Career Center to the new building and beyond.

Listen to the full interview on NOCC’s YouTube Channel.

TACKLING WORKFORCE SHORTAGES WITH CLAIRE JECKLIN, CEO OF NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER

BizTalks podcast, Episode 133 - posted January 3, 2023

“New Orleans’s future workforce is not going to prepare itself,” says NOCC CEO Claire Jecklin during her conversation with Biz New Orleans editor and BizTalks host Kim Singletary. Claire shares how NOCC is partnering with local industries to address the business community’s workforce needs and gives details of NOCC’s incredible new 143,000-square-foot space.

Listen to the full interview on any of these platforms or via the Biz New Orleans website:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Google Podcast

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER PLANS TO DRIVE MIDDLE-CLASS EXPANSION

Published in New Orleans CityBusiness on December 15, 2022

As the 15-year, $2 billion public school rebuilding project draws to a close, the New Orleans Career Center promises to create a path for students to fill the 12,200 jobs expected to be added to the Greater New Orleans economy over the next several years.

Many of those jobs will pay higher-than-average salaries and won’t require a college degree, according to industry leaders. NOCC is slated to move into its newly customized $33.4 million facility at 1331 Kerlerec St. in March 2023. The LEED-certified facility is among the last to be completed under the Louisiana Department of Education Recovery School District and the Orleans Parish School Board School Facilities Master Plan.
The building originally housed McDonogh 35 High School and was renovated to comprise 143,000 square feet. The renovation is being managed by JACOBS/CSRS and built by Broadmoor Construction. It was designed by SCNZ Architects.

NOCC trainees at the facility, including high schoolers, new graduates and adults, will have access to clinic and hospital simulation labs, a fully functional ambulance bay, a CAD lab, a maker space, a commercial-grade kitchen and catering space and an outdoor construction collaboration area. Once in the new building, NOCC will add programs for carpentry, electrical, HVAC and welding as well as Digital/IT/Cybersecurity pathways for high school trainees. The facility will also offer Emergency Medical Service training for adults.

Read the full story here.

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER EXPANDING

Published in BIZ NEW ORLEANS on December 8, 2022

The New Orleans Career Center says business is booming.

This year, the job-training nonprofit has expanded enrollment, added instructors and staff, increased funding, grown partnerships and enlarged the scope of its programs and pathways. In addition, the renovation of the nonprofit’s new home at 1331 Kerlerec Street is nearing completion.

This year, 382 young people are enrolled in NOCC’s career prep and technical training for high schoolers. The organization has hired 10 new people and three existing employees have been promoted. The NOCC board is also expanding: Shannon Joseph, national director of nursing workforce pipeline at Ascension Health, and architect Christian Rodriguez, principal at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, joined the board in October. Andre Kelly, New Orleans district area manager for Associated General Contractors of Louisiana, and Melissa Sparks, vice president, talent management at Ochsner Health,will contribute their industry expertise to the board starting early next year.

Read the full story here.

NEW ORLEANS CAREER CENTER EXPANDS TO MEET DEMAND

NEWS RELEASE

New people, new programs and pathways, new partnerships, new place

New Orleans, LA, December 6, 2022 – As economic outlook news stories swirl around the city and the state, New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) has been quietly preparing locals to help fill the 12,200 jobs projected to be added to the Greater New Orleans economy by 2025*. Already, NOCC has expanded enrollment, added instructors and staff, and enlarged the scope of programs and pathways. Funding from public and private sources has also grown. Existing partnerships have grown and new ones are under development. And the custom-conversion of NOCC’s new home at 1331 Kerlerec Street is nearing completion.

More young people, more professionals, more opportunities

This year, enrollment in NOCC’s career prep and technical training for high schoolers hit its highest number to date: 382 young people are currently preparing for high-wage, high-demand careers.

NOCC has also strengthened its leadership team, added instructors, and enhanced its support staff to help ensure trainees, employees, and partners have all the support they need. Ten new positions have been added and filled, and three existing employees promoted from within to round out the executive team. NOCC expects to continue to add operational and instructional staff between now and when the organization moves next spring. (See roster of new hires/promotions.)

NOCC’s Board is also growing. Shannon Joseph, national director of nursing workforce pipeline at Ascension Health and architect Christian Rodriguez, principal at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, joined in October. Andre Kelly, New Orleans district area manager for Associated General Contractors of Louisiana and Melissa Sparks, vice president, talent management at Ochsner Health, will contribute their industry expertise starting early next year.

New programs and pathways

This year, NOCC welcomed the LAUNCH extension academy, a year-long career prep and training program for new high school graduates which began at YouthForce NOLA. Emily Ferris moved to NOCC to continue leading the program, and was joined by former LAUNCH team members Hannah Curry, Patrice Hammond and Geraldlyn Johnson. LAUNCH moved to NOCC to expand on its previous growth: participation doubled this fall.

In addition, NOCC recently announced its LPN Apprenticeship pilot program in partnership with Delgado Charity School of Nursing and Ochsner. NOCC has already added two new instructors and begun recruiting for the first group of LPN apprentices next fall.

The Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management pathway celebrated its first three RYRA Apprentices in conjunction with the Louisiana Restaurant Association. NOCC grad Ren Sommeillan-Harris recently completed their apprenticeship at local breakfast hotspot Wakin’ Bakin’ and has been hired full-time as a Line Cook. Two current LAUNCH participants, Sophia Elder and Denika Williams, have been hired as Line Cook apprentices at Saba.  

Once in the new building, NOCC will add Skilled Crafts (carpentry, electrical, HVAC, welding) and Digital/IT/Cybersecurity pathways for high school trainees and Emergency Medical Service training for adults. 

New partnerships

NOCC’s employer partnerships with both Ochsner Health and LCMC Health grew stronger and more formal this year. Both organizations continue to support the Adult Rapid Reskill training program. With Ochsner and Delgado Charity School of Nursing, NOCC recently announced the area’s first LPN Apprenticeship program. LCMC now formally includes NOCC as a workforce development partner in its annual planning and budgeting. Additional partnerships to support new training pathways in Skilled Crafts and Digital/IT/Cybersecurity are under development. 

NOCC’s donor partnerships also expanded in 2022. The organization’s largest grant came from the U.S. Department of Labor, via the Delta Regional Authority, which awarded NOCC $1.28 million in career training and education funds specifically to help offset regional job losses in the energy extraction industry. 

New place: purpose-built to prepare the city’s workforce of the future

In the Spring of 2023, NOCC will move into its newly customized building, purposefully designed to replicate state-of-the-art workspaces. In this 143,000 s.f. building, the next generation of New Orleans workers can explore their options, gain technical skills, and prepare to enter employment and college, confident and capable.

At 1331 Kerlerec Street, NOCC trainees – whether high schoolers, new grads, or adults – will have access to clinic and hospital simulation labs, a fully functional ambulance bay, CAD lab and maker space, commercial grade kitchen and catering space, along with a huge outdoor construction collaboration area. 

New year – 2023

NOCC expects to move into the Kerlerec Street building in early 2023. Additional pathways, programs, and partnerships will be added and announced throughout the year. 

*Source: GNO Inc., US Bureau of Labor Statistics

About New Orleans Career Center

The New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) is the career and technical education hub for New Orleanians seeking entry into the region’s high-demand, high-wage employment sectors. We offer professional-level training for high school students, the LAUNCH fifth-year program for those who’ve just graduated from high school, and a Rapid Reskill program for adults. Since 2018, more than 1,000 local residents have gained the technical and soft skills they need to succeed in professional environments through hands-on training with industry and education experts. In 2023, NOCC will expand into its new building which will provide more than 140,000 s.f. of customized instructional space and nearly triple its training capacity.