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Workforce Development 


Trained, skilled workers are a valuable commodity in today’s highly competitive global market. An availability of employees who possess the necessary skills and knowledge gives businesses that extra edge.

To assure new and expanding businesses they will have access to a pool of workers with the education and expertise necessary for their operations, area schools work closely with local businesses to ensure graduates have the essential aptitudes that are utilized in today’s workplace. Additionally, if new or prospective employees need training, the Dept. of Economic Development & Tourism collaborates with various state agencies to establish customized workforce instruction to satisfy a business employment needs.

 

FastStart


FastStart provides customized employee recruitment, screening, training development and training delivery for eligible, new or expanding companies – all at no cost.  Based on a company 's immediate and long-term workforce needs, the FastStart team crafts unique programs that ensure high-quality, flexible workers are prepared on day one and beyond.

The FastStart team includes dozens of experienced professionals from a range of businesses, including manufacturing, digital media, customer support centers and research and development. FastStart has designed and delivered comprehensive workforce solutions for a wide variety of Fortune 500 companies as well as high-tech companies funded by leading venture capital firms.


Louisiana Economic Development Corporation Workforce Development and Training Program


The purpose of this program is to develop and provide customized workforce training to existing and prospective Louisiana businesses. Unlike most other public training programs, LEDC’s program is designed to meet the diverse training needs of Louisiana businesses. The program is committed to the creation and upgrading or retention of specific jobs. Applicants can be individual companies or a consortium of companies operating in a related industry or field. Funding awards will be paid to recipient companies as a reimbursement of eligible training expenses. The types of training eligible for funding are pre-employment training, on-the-job training and workplace-based retraining.


Workforce Investment Act (WIA)


More WIA funding per capita is made available to Louisiana than to any other state. On-the-job-training helps employers cut training costs in half by providing a 50 percent reimbursement of salary for training for up to six months.

 

Job Service


A federally funded program maintained by the Louisiana Department of Employment and Training, Job Service files contain the largest supply of qualified job seekers in the state. Job listings which cannot be filled on a local basis are fed into a computerized system which brings the job order to placement interviewers in offices across the state.

Employers may also use the facilities of any of the Job Service offices statewide to carry out their own prospective employee search. An employer may advertise a job opening in any area of the state and have a representative conduct interviews in Job Service offices where qualified applicants are available.

 

Major Employers in St. Charles Parish 
Year Wage
4th Quarter 2023 $1,900.00
2022 $1,571.00
2021 $1,549.00
2020 $1,417.00
2019 $1,373.00
2018 $1,351.00
2017 $1,317.00
2016 $1,266.00
2015 $1,265.00
2014 $1,239.00
2013 $1,205.00
2012 $1,195.00
2011 $1,127.00
2010 $1,095.00
Source: LA Workforce Commission  

Unemployment / Labor Force
  2020 2021 2022 2023 YTD 2024
Average Annual Unemployment Rate 8.4% 5.5% 3.2% 3.1% 3.6%
Average Annual Labor Force 24,345 24,373 24,949 24,931 24,489
September 2024 Unemployment Rate: 3.9% (Not Seasonally Adjusted/Preliminary)

1 ST Quarter 2024 - Units, Average Wage & Employment by Industry Sector
Industry
Total Units Employment Weekly Wage
St. Charles Parish 1,431 24,753 2,127
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
4 9 766
Mining 9 74 2,312
Utilities 18 880 3,658
Construction 158 4,269 3,088
Manufacturing 68 4,626 3,585
Wholesale trade 112
1,862 2,064
Retail trade 149 1,427 631
Transportation and warehousing 116 2,906 1,684
Information 18 117 900
Finance and insurance 74 317 1,354
Real estate, rental and leasing 57 354 1,698
Professional and technical services 145 807 1,883
Management of companies and enterprises 16 345 1,078
Administrative and waste services 108

972

1,243
Educational services 12 * *
Health care and social assistance 120 1,350 1,049
Arts, entertainment and recreation 27 180 403
Accommodation and food services 113 1,056 369
Other services except public administration 71 439 1,379
Public administration 36 727 1,439
Source: Louisiana Works / Department of Labor *DATA NON-PUBLISHABLE      

Major Employers in St. Charles Parish 
Business / Industry
Approximate # of Employees
Product/Service
Town
St. Charles Parish Public Schools 1,723 Education Luling
Shell Norco Manufacturing Complex 1,200 Petrochemical facility Norco 
Dow St. Charles 918 Chemicals and plastics Taft
Entergy, Waterford 3 800 Electricity provider Killona
Bayer 703 Chemical manufacturer Luling
Valero St. Charles 602 Oil refinery Norco
St. Charles Parish Government 630 Government Hahnville
St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office 381  Law enforcement Luling
Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits 328 Liquor distribution St. Rose
St. Charles Parish Hospital 437 Medical facility Luling
Winn-Dixie (Luling 95, Destrehan 180)     275 Retail Luling/Destrehan
Randa 160 Men's accessories St. Rose
Occidental Chemical Corporation 196 Chemical manufacturer Luling/Destrehan 
Walmart 155 Retail Boutte
International Matex Tank Terminals 165 Bulk liquid handling St. Rose
Bunge North America 158 Grain export and soy bean processing Destrehan
ADM   Grain export and soy bean processing Ama/Destrehan
**All information, although deemed reliable, is subject to errors and omissions.**