(Press releases)

Today, Greater New Orleans, Inc. and Capital One announced the completion of the second installment of IT Everywhere, a series of educational sessions designed to inform educators about information technology job opportunities in Greater New Orleans. Through the four-session program, teachers, counselors and other education stakeholders are granted first-hand exposure to the many IT career pathways in the region so that they can educate students about the various career options available in the field. For this installment, sessions were hosted at Entrescan, Jefferson Parish Government, Tulane University, and LCMC Health. This program was made possible through the generous support of Capital One.

 
“Showcasing a diverse set of employers working in IT to regional educators perfectly aligns with our mission to build a strong regional workforce that is career trained and work ready,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “IT Everywhere ensures we’re maximizing our opportunities to build that trained workforce in this dynamic, growing industry.  GNO, Inc. is honored to partner with Capital One, which shares in our commitment to strengthen workforce development in the Greater New Orleans region.”
 
“Through our five-year, $150 million Future Edge initiative, Capital One is helping people develop skills for the 21st century,” said Karen DeBlieux, Southeast Louisiana Market President for Capital One. “We’re committed to advancing workforce development in Greater New Orleans and other communities across the U.S. We’re pleased that our support of GNO, Inc. and the IT Everywhere program is enhancing the ability of educators to help local students become leaders and innovators.”
 
Through these sessions, educators and counselors were able to visit and explore the employer’s facilities while speaking directly to professionals within the field. Participants finished each session with an updated knowledge and familiarity of current workplace practices, requirements and skills that are valued within IT.
 
"The IT Everywhere cohort provides an invaluable opportunity for educators to learn more about local IT businesses,” said Kristen Green, Dean of Transition at George Washington Carver High School. After completing the first session with 3D printing company Entrescan, Kristen said, “Entrescan's eagerness to partner with local high schools and participate in work-based learning models is palpable. After our first session, I was able to incorporate my newfound knowledge of 3D printing and connection to Entrescan into the roll out of an RFP project, with the winning team's RFP now getting the chance to take its ideas and model to scale. Without this opportunity I wouldn't have the insight to provide students information about a growing industry with a wealth of jobs within city limits."
 
On her experience with the program, Lucy Lejeune, Career and Technical Education Coordinator for Jefferson Parish Public Schools, said, “IT Everywhere gave me the opportunity to make connections with industry partners and discover the types of jobs, skills and equipment that are necessary for those jobs. This has helped me to continue to improve our IT curriculum and upgrade our equipment to keep education relevant to the current job market.”

 
This year, IT Everywhere included four sessions:

• Friday, September 29, 2017: Entrescan
• Friday, October 20, 2017: Jefferson Parish
• Friday, November 10, 2017: Tulane University
• Friday, December 8, 2017: University Medical Center 

The specific areas of expertise highlighted at each location ranged from 3D printing and emergency planning to medical informatics and information security. By exposing educators and counselors to a wide variety of employers working in information technology, IT Everywhere hoped to emphasize both the traditional and non-traditional occupations and the corresponding pathways that advance students into those careers.
 
Each session featured:

• A presentation outlining industry needs and pathways for education
• Corporate overview and IT department overview of host employer
• Guided tour of IT facilities
• Discussion with IT staff members of the host company 
   

This year’s IT Everywhere Participants include:

“The Port of New Orleans is proud to collaborate with our long-time shipping line partner Intermarine to be able to provide the most efficient international shipping option for a Louisiana-made product,” said Brandy D. Christian, Port of New Orleans President and CEO. “This partnership bodes well for the Port’s diverse capabilities and carrier options, as well as for our homegrown manufacturers’ ability to compete globally.”

The first piece, the base of an oil platform built by Chet Morrison Contractors, arrived at Port NOLA by barge at the Poland Avenue wharf and was discharged directly from barge to the Intermarine Industrial Edge by terminal operator Coastal Cargo in August. The second piece, the top side deck also built by Chet Morrison Contractors, arrived by barge at the Harmony Street wharf and was also discharged directly from barge to the Intermarine Industrial Edge by Coastal Cargo last month.

“Founded in New Orleans, Intermarine is always looking for any opportunities to bring our vessels to New Orleans,” said Fran Cruz, Commercial Line Manager for Intermarine, which specializes in transporting project, breakbulk and heavylift cargo. “It’s these strong partnerships with organizations like Chet Morrison Contractors and the Port of New Orleans that have contributed to the success of Intermarine.”

Chet Morrison Contractors is a leader in providing construction, maintenance and abandonment services for the oil and gas industry for land, inshore and offshore environments. For more than 15 years Chet Morrison has been shipping cargo exclusively with Intermarine through the Gulf of Mexico.

“Working hand in hand with our local resources we were able to identify cost savings for the transport of pre-fabricated modules from our Harvey facility to the project location in the Caribbean,” said Brent Desselle, Chet Morrison Contractors Project Manager. 

Both oil platform components arrived in Trinidad and were successfully discharged. The next project will commence loading in March 2018 with the same two components.

SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH CENTER

 Today, the Small Business Innovation Research Consortium (SBIRC) hosted an Innovation Luncheon in honor of policy leaders who championed the Research & Development legislation in the 2017 Session. The Innovation Awards were presented to the lead author Rep. Paula Davis, Rep. Franklin Foil, Rep. Julie Stokes and Ms. Mandi Mitchell of Louisiana Economic Development. The legislation passed was HB300 by Davis which makes improvements to the R&D Tax Credit program, emphasizing participation by small businesses and those who qualify for a federal SBIR grant.

In receiving her Innovation Award, Rep. Davis thanked the business and economic groups who advocated for the legislation and said she was happy to promote the R&D legislation that is so important to entrepreneurs around the state to encourage them to pursue their business plans in Louisiana, often through partnering with their local universities who seek to transfer technology into the marketplace.

As a result of the successful legislation, members of the advocacy team have now formed the SBIR Consortium. Founder Andy McCandless of Bascom Hunter states, “The purpose of the SBIRC is to promote a culture of entrepreneurism and innovation in Louisiana in order to grow and diversify our economy in emerging sectors of technology, biosciences, aerospace, digital media, and cyber security.” McCandless goes onto say, “Our overall mission is to increase the level of state participation in the federal grant program in order to seed innovative ideas and bring them to market.”

Dr. Byron Clayton, CEO of the Louisiana Tech Park and NexusLA, is co-founder of the SBIRC and the first member to sign up for the newly formed organization. Byron gave his own thoughts, “The SBIR Consortium is an exciting initiative for Louisiana entrepreneurs and small business owners to access $2.5 billion of non-dilutive federal funding. We are happy to be a part of the early efforts to organize and promote this association of innovators.”