Baton Rouge Community College Northshore Technical Community College South Central Louisiana Technical College South Louisiana Community College Sowela Technical Community College
A MESSAGE FROM GOVERNOR BOBBY JINDAL One of the top priorities of my administration is to create a climate that attracts business and industry to invest in our state, including retaining the great companies that already call Louisiana home, and welcoming new companies to locate here and build their businesses. Our business-friendly policies, targeted investments, and hard work have paid off as dozens of companies have announced their plans to locate to Louisiana. From Benteler Steel in Shreveport to Sasol in Lake Charles, new businesses are investing billions in plants and infrastructure and creating thousands of new jobs for our citizens. With these new investments, it is essential that we produce a highly-skilled and ready-to-go workforce to fill the great jobs these new businesses are bringing to our state. In this dynamic environment, the role of Louisiana s community and technical colleges in developing and sustaining this workforce is more important than it has ever been. ACT 360, which provides $288 million for 29 new facilities throughout the state, are targeted to specific workforce needs in high demand industries including construction, welding, process technology, nursing, and a variety of skills for the oil and gas industry, and are a wise investment for the state to support the expanding business growth. When you combine ACT 360 with ACT 391 from 2008, which provided funding for 24 new or renovated facilities and other state spending, the state has made an historic investment of $700 million in community and technical colleges over the last five years. However, ACT 360 is more than an investment in community and technical colleges. It is an investment in our future and our people. Louisiana s economy will be forever changed as a result of the dramatic increase in the capacity of community and technical colleges to train the highly skilled workforce our state needs. The lives of our citizens will be transformed as they have the opportunity to achieve the American dream right here in Louisiana. The impact will be felt for generations to come. Governor Bobby Jindal
Governor Bobby Jindal signing Act 360 into law on June 17, 2013 at Central Louisiana Technical Community College.
Joe May meeting with students on the steps of the Capitol during the 2013 Legislative session.
A MESSAGE FROM JOE MAY * While the purpose of ACT 360 is to fund facilities, its true goal is to strengthen the economic growth of Louisiana by aligning its workforce with the needs of employers. Louisiana s community and technical colleges are among the fastest growing two-year colleges in the nation. The reason that people are flocking to these colleges is simple - they want a job. More specifically, they want a job that will allow them to have a middle-class life-style. Today, most middle-class jobs require more than a high school diploma, but less than a bachelor s degree. These jobs include service technicians, welders and pipe fitters. Act 360 will allow community and technical colleges to modernize facilities and provide the training necessary for graduates to gain access to not only good jobs, but also some of the best jobs in the state. Act 360 will help ensure that Louisiana s community and technical colleges continue to solve the problems faced by employers, build strong communities, strengthen the state s economy, and create a growing middle-class. Now is the time for business and industry and community leaders to partner closely with colleges to secure each project s 12 percent private match which will lead to each of these facilities coming to fruition in communities all around the state. * Dr. Joe May was president of the Louisiana Community & Technical College System from January 2007 January 2014 and led the effort to pass ACT 360.
A 29-year-old Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient, who worked for just above minimum wage after returning home, is now making nearly $100,000 a year as a process operator in a chemical plant. A 32-year-old man who couldn t find work in the field of Information Technology, even though he earned a bachelor s degree, is now gainfully employed and has already received two promotions due to earning several I.T. certifications. A 50-year-old man who was ready to leave the life of a salesman and choose a completely different career path is now a surgical technologist in a major hospital. A 33-year-old woman, who was laid off after 10 years of administrative work, is now employed offshore, earning $75,000 a year, at a job that she absolutely loves. These men and women and thousands more like them converted their raw talents into marketable skills. How? OUR STUDENTS By attending one of Louisiana s community or technical colleges. For some students, we are the first step toward a four-year degree. For others, we are the catalyst for a new career. We are vital partners to business and industry, ensuring that as Louisiana s workforce needs change and grow, there is a steady flow of trained men and women to fill jobs.
Northshore Technical Community College s automotive program. The college s ACT 360 projects include a workforce training center and industrial technology center.
A surgical technology student at South Louisiana Community College. SLCC will build a new health and sciences building to serve the Acadiana area.
OUR COLLEGES Since our inception, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System has made significant strides. The students, faculty and staff of our colleges are truly an outstanding investment opportunity as these facts illustrate: We are Louisiana s workforce solution providing workforce development programs, customized training opportunities, industry based certifications, grant opportunities and construction training aligned with NCCER. Our formal partnerships with business and industry have helped us to design curriculum and provide many of our students with practical experience. Enrollment at our colleges has nearly doubled since 2007. In 2012-13 we served more than 101,000 students. Seven of our colleges have been named the fastest growing in the nation in their enrollment categories for the past three years.* Nine of our colleges rank in the Top 100 of Degree Producers of certificates of one year or less. Out of those nine, one of our colleges is ranked first and five others are in the top 40.* Five of our colleges rank in the Top 100 of Degree Producers of certificates of two years or less.* Our colleges have already raised millions in private funding, enabling them to provide scholarships, expand programs and curricula, and enhance facilities. Our colleges partner with K-12 and four-year universities through Dual Enrollment and Bridge Programs. Dual enrollment prepares high school students for associate degrees or certificates, while Bridge programs allow under-prepared two-year college students to gain the opportunity to transfer successfully into four-year universities. *Source: Community College Week
ACT 360: A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP Funding for this essential statewide capacity-building initiative is made possible through an enthusiastic public-private partnership between the State of Louisiana and local communities. In June 2013, the State Legislature overwhelmingly approved ACT 360 that authorizes $251.6 million as the State s share to build 29 new facilities, at community and technical colleges throughout the state. A total match of $34.3 million, raised proportionately by local communities served by each college, is required in order to qualify for state funds.
A South Central Louisiana Technical College process technology (PTEC) class in progress. SCLTC s projects will include facilities to expand marine technology, commercial diving, process technology and welding.
A Baton Rouge Community College veterinary class. BRCC will be adding a new workforce training center, to continue to grow the skilled workforce in the Capital Area.
GROWING LOUISIANA S MIDDLE CLASS The widening gap between our growing labor market demands and the current workforce must be addressed immediately if we want Louisiana to continue to be an attractive place to live, work and grow businesses. So many futures are at stake: workers and their families, employers and their businesses and the very fabric of our communities where quality of work and quality of life matter to all of us. Donor investment is crucial to our ability to construct these new facilities. Work with us to grow Louisiana s middle class.
FIRST TO GOAL, FIRST TO BUILD Each college is seeking contributions from individuals, businesses and community organizations. Colleges who achieve their fundraising goals first will be first in line to receive their ACT 360 allocation. Partner with us to raise these funds to support community and technical colleges and their ability to meet local workforce education and training needs.
Sowela Technical Community College students in aviation studies. The college will be adding a welding, nursing and industrial center to meet the industry needs of Southwest Louisiana.
THE TIME IS NOW The clock is ticking. We have a unique opportunity to change lives for the better and strengthen our economy through workforce training. But, in order to qualify for the State s 88% funding we must first demonstrate local leadership by raising our 12% match. Please join us in this urgent, important, life-changing call to action!
Campus life, Baton Rouge Community College Commercial diving, South Central Louisiana Technical College. Main campus, Sowela Technical Community College Nursing, Northshore Technical Community College Nondestructive Testing, South Louisiana Community College
Please visit www.lctcs.edu/act360 for more information on the campaign. Images courtesy of Holbrook Multimedia and LCTCS Staff
Louisiana Community & Technical College System 265 South Foster Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806 www.lctcs.edu/act360