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What it Means To be a Manufacturer
Manufacturing is making – it’s building something. It’s being an essential part of creating a finished product, whether as a millwright, carpenter or heavy equipment operator. If your student wants to take raw materials and turn them into something more and make good money while doing it, then CLTCC’s manufacturing program is for them. It has many options to get them into the job field. Whether it’s a six-month certificate program or a two-year technical degree, the skills they need are waiting for them at CLTCC.
Overview of CLTCC
Central Louisiana Technical Community College is part of the Louisiana Community & Technical College System. Post-secondary technical education was established in Louisiana in 1999 by a constitutional amendment. But it wasn’t until 2012 that Central Louisiana Technical Community College as we know it today began to take shape. It became CLTCC during the regular 2012 legislative session with Act 760, which combined the six technical colleges in the region and increased course offerings.
It became a two-year public technical community college associate degrees, certificates and diplomas that prepare individuals for high-demand occupations. The school’s mission is to provide comprehensive educational programs that meet the needs of students and the community. Programs may include career and technical education and training, workforce development training, adult basic education, continuing education, general education, associate degree programs, college transfer degree programs and other educational programs and opportunities. Administration, faculty and staff remain laser-focused on meeting the workforce needs of Louisiana and the needs of students.
The school is working toward the LCTCS’ six-year plan announced in 2014, "Our Louisiana 2020: Building the Workforce of Tomorrow.” It contains six major goals — double the number of graduates to 40,000 annually, double the annual
"CLTCC will be a game-changer in workforce development, for economic development for the entire region. It develops the kind of talent Louisiana is going to have to have to realize more than $80 billion in industrial expansion."
earnings of graduates to $1.5 billion, quadruple student transfers to four-year universities to 10,000 annually, double the number of students served to 325,000 annually, quadruple partnerships with business and industry to 1,000 annually, and double the foundation assets to $50 million.
These goals don’t just benefit LCTCS. Doubling the number of graduates from technical and community colleges means a more educated and skilled workforce in Central Louisiana. It means more people in jobs and a lower unemployment rate. These goals translate into a boost in the economy for everyone by increasing earning power of graduates with programs in high-demand, high-wage fields.
Outline of Manufacturing Program
C4M
Specialize
Career Path
Graduate
Job Opportunities
There are jobs available with manufacturers in Cenla, and many of them are partnering with the school to create a seamless pipeline that takes students straight from the campus to the company – and even back again for more training later.
The partnerships are producing more skilled workers, with Cenla manufacturers sending students to complete C4M and CDL programs, providing grant funds to purchase equipment for such programs or hiring employees and paying them full salaries while in school at CLTCC. They’ve partnered in training programs, donations, advisory roles and even a Manufacturing Expo for students.
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Many of those employers already have CLTCC grads working for them and they’re looking for more. Gilchrist Construction HR officials said the company is always looking for heavy equipment operators, carpenters, laborers and mechanics, just to name a few. RoyOMartin is on its fourth initiative with the college to educate unemployed or underemployed individuals seeking a long-term career in the manufacturing sector, primarily focusing on wood products.
"CLTCC has been a critical link for RoyOMartin to find, develop and hire work-ready individuals in many industrial positions. This pathway is critical for our future success. If we develop our business and employ more of these highly skilled people at higher wages, we will increase the quality of life in Central Louisiana. While RoyOMartin grows trees, manufactures and sells wood products nationwide, we are really in the people business. Louisiana’s greatest natural resource is the group composed of hundreds of thousands of underemployed citizens that are ready to learn, earn employment and raise their families in our great state."
Continued Education and Training
Students can continue their education at four-year universities and get a bachelor’s degree. CLTCC signed articulation agreements with Northwestern State University and Louisiana State University of Alexandria in April 2015. The agreements make it easier for students to transfer credits for some courses from the two-year institution to the four-year schools.
To LSUA they can transfer credits in English, biology, math, history, speech and other general education courses earned at the community college to equivalent university courses. To NSU students can transfer credits in biology, English, math, orientation, speech and other courses earned at the community college to equivalent university courses. Students also can apply credits earned at NSU toward the completion of their associate degree, diploma or certification at the community college.
But it’s not just general education they can get credit for. Another agreement with NSU allows students who earn the certificate for manufacturing (C4M) certification at CLTCC to apply that to seven hours of credit in NSU's engineering technology baccalaureate degree program.
Financial Aid
There’s financial aid available to help pay for classes through several state and federal options – Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, work study, Louisiana Go Grants, Workforce Investment Act, TOPS and TOPS Tech Early Start Program. There also are several funding opportunities for veterans.
"I love it. I'm learning a lot. You come in blind to everything, but now I know a lot. ... I'm learning everything about my department."
See what others are saying about us!
"Manufacturing really wasn't my first choice, but it's a lot more in-depth than just putting stuff in a box. Now I make the products."
"It’s a win-win. It’s a win for the industry. The more tools employees have in their tool belt the more productive they can be. They can earn a good living for their family and stay in Louisiana."
"Through its Economic Development Initiative, the Foundation has a goal to build a cohesive and effective workforce development system that meets the demands of employers, has the capacity to quickly respond to change, and provides training for high-wage jobs. We look at our partnership with CLTCC as key in meeting that goal. CLTCC’s workforce skills and development training gives Central Louisiana a more highly skilled workforce, which attracts better jobs for all income levels and generates more wealth in our communities."
"The articulation agreement between LSUA and CLTCC removes barriers to students' education. Rather than that, there's an open door, and that enables us to move students through the pipeline more quickly. It reduces the opportunity costs of going to college and university and enables those students to move on to professional schools, graduate schools or to the workforce better prepared and having expended less money and less time."
“PERFOREX, our logging company needed drivers this past year. CLTCC provided us with a CDL class specific to our needs for drivers who could also operate logging equipment. This unique combination is how the technical college can tailor programs to industry needs.”