New Orleans, LA, April 21, 2025 – New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) received an assist from the NBA Foundation today in the form of a one-year grant. The grant supports NOCC’s pre-nursing career preparation and technical skills training for high school students and new graduates. High school students from across the city in the pre-nursing career pathways attend NOCC for a half-day every day of the school year for one to two years. NOCC’s career training programs are free to participants.
“New Orleans Career Center and the NBA Foundation share a common goal - increasing the economic prospects of our young people. The Foundation’s support means that New Orleans Career Center can equip more of our city’s young people for careers in healthcare, careers that offer financial stability and opportunities for further training,” said NOCC Founding CEO Claire Jecklin.
The NBA Foundation exists to promote economic empowerment of under-resourced youth by funding high-impact programs that generate successful transitions from school to meaningful employment. The NBA Foundation launched in 2020 with a commitment from the NBA Governors committed to invest $300 million in NBA team market organizations over 10 years.
Currently, 280 New Orleans young people are training to enter healthcare careers at NOCC.
(April 14, 2025) – New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) engineering trainees participating in the ACE Mentor Program have worked the entire school year to redesign and repurpose the historic General Laundry Cleaners and Dyers building in the Treme-Lafitte neighborhood. In addition to repurposing the old laundry, the trainees designed new housing at the rear of the historic structure with views of Lafitte Greenway. All of the trainees’ work has been in collaboration with architecture, construction, and engineering (ACE) professionals who volunteer their time in the ACE Mentor Program of New Orleans.
One of those professionals is Max Murret, Project Manager at RNGD, a New Orleans general contracting company. “This year marks a milestone for the ACE Mentorship Program at the New Orleans Career Center—our largest group of students yet. Over the past four years I’ve been involved, it’s been incredible to watch the program thrive and evolve,” said Murret. “Each week, our students bring curiosity and creativity into the classroom, and they’re guided by top-tier mentors from some of the most respected firms and companies in New Orleans. This direct connection to industry professionals gives them a unique, hands-on perspective on real-world careers in ACE fields.”
The General Laundry Cleaners and Dyers building, built in 1930, is considered one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in the city. The building's stucco facade includes terracotta depictions of lush tropical vegetation and brightly colored, eye-catching tiles. The building which has sat dormant and neglected for many years, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The NOCC trainees will present the end result of their project at the ACE graduation ceremony and banquet on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom on the campus of UNO.
New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) received a delightful surprise post-Super Bowl LIX: a vibrant fan photo opp display, inspired by the city’s iconic colorful porches, was donated to its Treme campus. Originally located in Jackson Square, this set now enhances NOCC’s Collaborative Courtyard, providing trainees in building trades and other fields with authentic working conditions. As a key player in workforce development, NOCC was actively involved in pre-Super Bowl events, including receiving a grant from the Impact 59 Powered by Entergy initiative, participating in the “Taste of the NFL,” and packing food at Second Harvest. Additionally, NOCC Building Trades trainees and staff had the unique opportunity to interact with NFL players and sports media at the Super Bowl Breakfast.
Delgado collaborates with Ochsner Health System and other healthcare providers to ensure that graduates are job-ready immediately following graduation. Delgado's partnership with Ochsner led to a $20 million investment. This included $10 million towards the Ochsner Center for Nursing and Allied Health, featuring a fully equipped simulated hospital, and $10 million in scholarships to upskill Ochsner’s incumbent workforce.Delgado also recently added an LPN Dual Enrollment program in partnership with the New Orleans Career Center, creating one of the first such offerings in Louisiana and providing an opportunity to prepare Louisiana youth for success in nursing careers.
WWNO covers New Orleans Career Center – helps high schoolers land jobs — and launch careers.
Health science professionals play a critical role in delivering efficient, high-quality patient care. Still, too many health care facilities are struggling to fill the demand for nurses and allied health team members. Nearly one-third (31%) of employers have said it’s difficult to find qualified medical assistants, and the numbers paint a similar picture in other roles, like patient care, electrocardiography, and billing and coding (National Healthcareer Association, 2024). We need to do more to meet our country’s health care workforce demands.
New Orleans Career Center (NOCC), where I serve as director of work-based learning, is taking a novel approach to help meet this need and improve care outcomes for our community. We’ve built a sustainable and empowering program that connects high school students and adults with allied health careers. Through our partnership with the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), which provides educational materials and accredited, industry-recognized certification exams, more than 160 NOCC health care trainees certified as medical assistants and patient care technicians in 2023 alone.
One New Orleans job training center is hoping to be a go-to center for high quality technical education in the area. About half of New Orleans' jobs are considered "mid-skill," which means they require more than a high school degree, but not necessarily a bachelor's degree. Since 2018, the New Orleans Career Center has been helping area residents fill that need with education toward a variety of careers.
When Te'mon Crawford saw the New Orleans Career Center move into the fully renovated Tremé building that once housed McDonogh 35 Senior High School, he thought about his own new start and what he could do with his future.
NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Chef Alon Shaya and the Shaya Barnett Foundation will host the second benefit dinner for the New Orleans Career Center (NOCC), the city’s hub for career and technical education (CTE). This cause is especially near and dear to Chef Alon whose own CTE teacher, Donna Barnett, inspired and encouraged him to discover his passion for cooking and helped him obtain his first kitchen job. Career and technical education forever changed his life and ultimately inspired the creation of the Shaya Barnett Foundation and their support for NOCC.
Claire Jecklin, Chief Executive Officer & Founder of the New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) shared, “Being part of the NOLA LEADS collaboration will enable us to expand our pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship pathways. This means we can connect more trainees to more paid Registered Apprenticeships in high-demand careers such as Carpentry, Electrical, HVAC, Welding, Pharmacy Technician, Licensed Practical Nurse, and Line Cook and support their ongoing success. It will also enable us to strengthen our employer partnerships and grow the number of New Orleanians who make up a highly trained, mid-skill local workforce.”
To support the highest-ever demand for its programs, the city’s flagship career center and technical education (CTE) provider expanded its offerings and added new staff this summer. Over the last two weeks, New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) welcomed a record number of trainees – more than 600 – into its five industry sectors. NOCC has hired 14 new staff members, doubling in size in the last two years. This expansion is in response to demand from local industry for qualified local talent and demand for more CTE opportunities from families, schools, and community-based organizations.
To support the highest-ever demand for its programs, the city’s flagship career and technical education (CTE) provider expanded its offerings and added new staff this summer. Over the last two weeks, New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) welcomed a record number of trainees – more than 600 – into its five industry sectors. NOCC has hired 14 new staff members, doubling in size in the last two years. This expansion is in response to demand from local industry for qualified local talent and demand for more CTE opportunities from families, schools, and community-based organizations.
Welcome to the Family Empowerment Podcast, Powered by Clover Nola! 🎙️🌟 In this episode, our host Dr. Arnel Cosey sits down with Claire Jecklin, CEO of the New Orleans Career Center, to discuss workforce development in our community. 👩🏫✨ Claire shares insights into how the Career Center provides technical training for high school youth and adults, focusing on those aged 18 to 24 and the unemployed or underemployed. 🎓🔧 We delve into our collaborative efforts on the "Where Are the Workers" study, which examines local talent, work opportunities, wages, barriers, and training needs in New Orleans. 📊📈 Key findings highlight the high interest in healthcare jobs and the necessity for better job training programs and wraparound services like transportation and childcare. 🏥🚌 Claire emphasizes the importance of coordinated efforts among community organizations to support workforce development and improve economic mobility. 🤝💼 Tune in to learn more about how we can all contribute to creating better opportunities and support systems for our workforce. 🌟💪 Don't forget to subscribe and follow us on social media for more empowering content! 📲💬 For more information about Clover Nola, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @CloverNewOrleans. To learn more about the New Orleans Career Center, visit their website at NOCC.org or find them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 🌐📱
New Orleans Career Center’s Dean of Students Jeremy Oatis featured in Gambit’s 40 Under 40
Attractions Magazine takes you behind the scenes of Walt Disney World, where up-and-coming female chefs spend three days learning about Disney culinary and catering alongside four trainees from the New Orleans Career Center.
Four recent New Orleans Career Center culinary grads are heading to Walt Disney World for an all-expenses-paid culinary adventure. Aniya Bailey-Kelly, Madison Black, Brianna Blunt, and Heavan Hall are among 22 aspiring chefs selected for the "Culinary Dreams Come True" experience. The four-day trip includes behind-the-scenes tours, fine dining experiences, and theme park visits. Inspired by "Tiana's Bayou Adventure," the program celebrates New Orleans' culinary legacy. NOCC Chief Programs Officer Carlin Jacobs praised the students' passion and dedication. Bailey-Kelly, eager to expand her skills, will soon start an apprenticeship at Zea. The NOCC offers free career and technical education to prepare students for in-demand industries.
Culinary and hospitality trainees got a magical surprise! In a visit to the historic Dookey Chase Restaurant trainees learned about an exclusive trip to Walt Disney World to experience Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
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.
Lousiana Weekly covers New Orleans Career Center’s partnership with ACE Mentorship program.
New Orleans Career Center named among city’s Best Places to Work for second year in a row
New Orleans is giving $5M in COVID money to 10 nonprofits for new economic mobility project. NOCC to receive $500,000 toward career prep programs for underemployed youth.
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.