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Partnership with Louisiana Community and Technical College System for Workforce Development Training Programs Announced by CPRA

Baton Rouge, Louisiana– The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) announced a new partnership with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) on September 15, 2022, to develop training and certification programs to support the construction of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, as well as several other large-scale coastal infrastructure projects.

The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion is expected to bring more than 12,000 direct and indirect jobs to Southeast Louisiana, primarily in Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Jefferson, and Orleans Parishes, as well as more than $1 billion in increased sales and nearly $650 million in additional household earnings. The project’s primary goal is to strategically connect the Mississippi River to the Barataria Basin, which is undergoing among of the world’s greatest rates of land loss.

“The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion is an infrastructure project unlike anything else in the world. Aside from its invaluable land-building capabilities, the project will also bring a substantial economic stimulus to Plaquemines Parish and the surrounding coastal parishes,” said CPRA Chairman Chip Kline. “We are seeing more large-scale projects receive funding and come to fruition each year, which translates directly into more jobs and opportunity. I’m confident coastal restoration and protection will continue to be a high priority for our state’s leadership in the coming decades and, with LCTCS, we’re building and preparing an experienced workforce to support it.”

“Louisiana’s expertise in coastal resilience brings with it an unprecedented investment in restoration and protection projects,” said LCTCS President Dr. Monty Sullivan. “The partnership between LCTCS and CPRA will allow our people to participate directly in rebuilding our land while giving them access to excellent jobs that will sustain them and their families well into the future. In addition, our industry partners will benefit from the kind of motivated, highly skilled, and productive workforce that only Louisiana can provide.”

“This collaboration connects homegrown talent to unique employment opportunities, teaching valuable skills and leveraging the resources and expertise of LCTCS,” said CPRA Executive Director Bren Haase. “This partnership ensures the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion and other coastal projects are built by locals who are not only well-trained and equipped to deliver, but who will take pride in building a brighter future for coastal Louisiana.”

This collaboration is a component of CPRA’s mitigation plan for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, supporting workforce development, local talent, and enterprises through continuous education, and increasing economic opportunity in the area.

The project, which is proposed for the west bank of the Mississippi River at river mile 61 in Plaquemines Parish, is expected to be approved by the US Army Corps of Engineers by the end of 2022. Construction could begin in early 2023 if CPRA receives a permit. Once completed, a 2-mile-long man-made channel will transport sediment and nutrients from the river and deposit them in the basin, rebuilding and sustaining wetlands that provide crucial storm surge protection to coastal cities. The project is the first of its kind, representing billions of dollars in investment in coastal Louisiana, and it has the potential to develop almost 17,000 acres of land in the Barataria Basin.

To support project construction, individuals proficient in carpentry, concrete finishing, heavy machinery and equipment operation, millwrighting, pile driving, pipe laying, and land surveying will be required. Administration, accounting, project controls, engineering, and general construction labor jobs are also predicted.

Archer Western-Alberici is the project’s Construction Manager At-Risk (CMAR) contractor, who will hire and manage construction workers. The CMAR approach incorporates the construction contractor into the early design phase of the project to obtain input on cost, schedule, and constructability, resulting in cheaper costs and faster construction, as well as coordination on activities such as manpower forecasting. CPRA and Archer Western-Alberici have committed to prioritizing the use of local talent and collaborating closely with LCTCS, which will administer the programming at the colleges most accessible to coastal Louisiana residents and workers, to ensure that specializations and skills required for construction activities are appropriately integrated into the curriculum.

This collaboration is consistent with the CPRA’s overall objective of maximizing the employment and economic development opportunities provided by Louisiana’s coastal protection and restoration initiatives. CPRA is also working on the Coastal Technical Assistance Center with Louisiana Economic Development and is looking into further collaborations with the Department of Corrections, the Louisiana Workforce Commission, and the Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Midbasin.coastal.la.gov and lctcs.edu will provide project updates, including information on LCTCS training programs, forthcoming events, job fairs, public meetings, and career opportunities relating to the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion.

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