GNO, Inc. and Delgado Community College Host Technical Skills Expo
Greater New Orleans, Inc. and Delgado Community College will host the Second Annual Technical Skills Expo presented by Chevron on Monday, October 13, from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Approximately 500 area high school students are expected to attend The Technical Skills Expo, which will feature live demonstrations of technical training and skills and information sessions led by industry craftsmen and technicians. These in-depth demonstrations allow students to directly connect with industry leaders to better understand career pathways and dual enrollment training opportunities available at Delgado and other training options throughout the region.
Those scheduled to attend include Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc., Mike Illane, Vice President of Gulf of Mexico Business Unit, Chevron, Dr. Arnel Cosey, Vice Chancellor for Students Affairs and Executive Dean of the City Park Campus and Dr. Larissa Littleton-Steib, Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development and Technical Education
They will talk about key workforce challenges facing the region and plans to meet future workforce demands.
Workforce is proving to be the key challenge for both existing businesses and companies considering locating to the New Orleans region. This challenge spans industries and is presented in a lack of hard skills, soft skills, and necessary infrastructure. From energy to advanced manufacturing to digital media, availability of a trained workforce threatens to inhibit the region’s potential for growth.
The region’s unprecedented growth in recent years combined with a shift from technical training to a focus on four-year degrees as the only path to success has resulted in a serious shortage of a qualified technical workforce. The Technical Skills Expo is designed to highlight these high-wage, high-demand career opportunities to high school students from across the Greater New Orleans region.
The event will take place at Delgado Community College Jefferson Campus at 5200 Blair Drive, in Metairie.
