Targeting Talent: Workforce Strategies in New Orleans
UWSELA Public Policy Education Session
Presented by Rodrick Miller, President & CEO
October 22, 2013
New Orleans’ Economic Transformation
• #1 Fastest Growing Economy since the
Economic Recession – Forbes
– Population growth
– Low unemployment rate
• #1 Logistics Leader / #3 IT Employment
Leader — Business Facilities Magazine
– Logistics assets
– Emerging Creative Digital Media cluster
• Innovation hub for the Gulf South
region
– Entrepreneurship: 53% more start-ups per capita
than national average
– BioDistrict: $2B Investment / 34,000 jobs
1
Our Work
Tactical Goals: Jobs & Investment
• Attract, retain and expand businesses in
New Orleans
• Increase the number + quality of jobs
• Increase the City’s tax base
• Provide site selection assistance, market
intelligence, project management, and
act as a municipal liaison for business
prospects
Corporate Attraction
Business Retention and
Expansion
Results since 2011
• 24 business locates or expansions
• 1,700 full and part-time jobs
• $300+ million capital investment
Retail
2
Our Work
Strategic Goals: Economic
Competitiveness
• ProsperityNOLA: A Plan to Drive
Economic Growth for 2013
• Foster a business-friendly environment
in New Orleans
ProsperityNOLA
• Provide research resources to investors,
prospects, and community members
Incentive Guidelines
Results
• Launched ProsperityNOLA
• Costco + South Market District
• Benefit Corporation Legislation
Economic Impact Model
3
New Orleans Macro Trends - Employment
Current Stats
176,400 Jobs
12,500 Unemployed
6.6% Unemployment Rate
Orleans Parish Jobs, 2009-2013
180,000
176,000
Jobs
Source: EMSI
172,000
Evidence of Strong Growth
168,000
•
•
As of 2012, New Orleans has
regained 76% of the 192,624 jobs
recorded in 2004
Since 2008, the New Orleans rate
of job growth has averaged 1.8%.
Nationally, the average is 1.1%
164,000
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Source: EMSI
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
4
New Orleans Macro Trends – Educational Attainment
Current Stats
15,000 Completions of a course of study by students in New Orleans in 2012
65,300 Residents without a High School Diploma in 2013
95,100 Residents with only a High School Diploma in 2013
66% Share of LA Students who are low-income
Source: EMSI
City
Share of
Population with
HS Diploma or
Less
Atlanta
24.8%
Austin
29%
New Orleans
47.4%
Houston
57.4%
Jacksonville
60%
Signs of Improvement in Education
•
•
At 76.5% of students graduating on time,
New Orleans is outperforming the state
and nation
In 2005 only 25% of Orleans public school
grads qualified for TOPS, in 2012, 39%
qualified
Source: Educate Now
Source: US Census Bureau, 2012 ACS
5
ProsperityNOLA
NOLABA led the development of ProsperityNOLA: A Plan to Drive
Economic Growth for 2018.
• Establish clear direction
• Provide recommendations to support growth in specific
industry clusters
• Unite business leaders, public sector, and community partners
in the effort to promote economic growth
• Diversify + strengthen the economy
6
ProsperityNOLA Clusters
The Strategic Advisory Council selected a mix of clusters that
leverage strengths while diversifying the economy
Foundational
Clusters
Advanced
Manufacturing
Transportation,
Trade, and Logistics
Emerging
Clusters
BioInnovation and
Health Services
Creative Digital
Media
Sustainable
Industries
7
ProsperityNOLA 7 Cross Cutting Issues
•
•
•
•
•
Coordinate and Collaborate
Invest to Compete
Reposition the City’s Brand
Think Internationally
Promote Entrepreneurship and
Small Business Development
• Equity is a Growth Strategy
• Prepare our Workforce
Read ProsperityNOLA online at
www.nolaba.org/prosperitynola
8
Prepare our Workforce
Companies in all industries noted the following local workforce
issues as priorities for ProsperityNOLA:
• Soft skills
• Illiteracy
• Recruit new workers
• Train our existing workforce
• Establish career pathways in K-12 curriculum and programming
9
Advanced Manufacturing
Workforce Issues:
•
Aging Workforce
•
Limited Pipeline of Skilled Workers
– Smaller companies train workers who
are quickly recruited by larger employers
•
Need for incumbent worker training
Specific Recommendations:
• Use industry expertise to match technical training to specific workforce
needs
• Support efforts to connect residents with training opportunities
• Inform manufacturing businesses of the opportunities for local hiring
10
BioInnovation & Health Services
Workforce Issues:
• Need for incumbent worker training
• Lack of coordination between industry, higher
education, and workforce training institutions
with curriculum and skills training
• Lack of local CEOs, researchers, and doctors
Specific Recommendations:
• Support programs like GNOF New Orleans Works to reduce turnover for
medical assistants, apply model to other careers and industries
• Connect employers to appropriate training programs to identify new hires
• Encourage curriculum development in K-12 that preps students for jobs
11
Creative Digital Media
Workforce Issues:
• Lack of coordination between industry,
higher education, and workforce training
institutions with curriculum and skills
training
• Lack of experienced, executive-level talent
and programmers
Specific Recommendations:
• Identify opportunities in higher education programs and K-12 curriculum to
provide training to address workforce needs of local employers and create
career pathways
• Support investments in technology training for all K-12 teachers and
students to increase technical skills and opportunities for innovation
12
Transportation, Trade & Logistics
Workforce Issues:
• Similar to overall workforce issues on
previous slide
Specific Recommendations:
• Develop pre-apprenticeship program to
connect youth with entry level jobs in
maritime and transportation industries
13
Next Steps
Know the issues: Read ProsperityNOLA online
www.nolaba.org/prosperitynola
Join the conversation: Take the 2013 DeltaPLUS
online survey
www.nolaba.org/deltaplus
Keep engaged: Sign up for our email newsletter
www.nolaba.org
14
Thank You.
Rodrick T. Miller
President & CEO
New Orleans Business Alliance
rmiller@nolaba.org
(504) 934-4500
To learn more, visit www.nolaba.org
935 Gravier Street, Suite 2020
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 934-4500
www.nolaba.org
This presentation has been prepared by the New Orleans Business Alliance (“NOLABA”) for discussion purposes only
15