June 8, 2023

NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans is proud to join a new peer-learning cohort led by the National League of Cities (NLC) and the Department of Labor (DOL) to accelerate City efforts to design, develop and launch a workforce initiative to build pathways into good jobs. The Good Jobs, Great Cities Learning Network will work with municipalities to spur innovative and scalable City-supported solutions that upskill and reskill workers into quality, high-demand jobs in infrastructure, clean energy and advanced manufacturing jobs made possible by investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  

“One of the best ways to continue pushing our city forward and driving economic development and diversification is to upskill and train our local workforce,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Our residents deserve stable, high-paying jobs, and we have the resources to aid them achieve this goal. Not only will this initiative increase the financial stability of our residents, but it will give our whole local economy a much-needed boost as we continue on our road to recovery following the global pandemic.”   

The City of New Orleans Good Jobs, Great Cities Learning Network Team is focused on the development of training and workforce preparation aligned to federal investments in infrastructure and clean energy in the Greater New Orleans region through building trades and energy sector partnerships. The activities proposed represent an opportunity to transform our region’s economy, meet significant workforce demand and provide good jobs for more of our region’s residents.  

The Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development has developed a cross-sector partnership to lead on this effort to identify and address gaps and shortcomings in training and workforce ecosystem opportunities in order to plan and develop new or scale existing successful initiatives.  

The Good Jobs, Great Cities Learning Network Team is comprised of the following members:  

  • Sunae Villavaso, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development 
  • Chuck Morse, Executive Director of Thrive New Orleans 
  • Claire Jecklin, CEO of the New Orleans Career Center and Workforce Development Board Officer 
  • Andy O’Brien,Sr., Southeastern Louisiana Building and Construction Trades Council and Workforce Development Board Member 
  • Rodney Wallis, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 130 and Workforce Development Board Member  

Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) is serving as the convener of the Building Trades and Infrastructure Employer Advisory Council, which will serve as a key intermediary as employers evaluate and identify areas for expanded workforce training.  

New Orleans is joined by 16 other cities in the Good Jobs, Great Cities Learning Network – Baton Rouge; Bridgeport, Conn.; Dallas; Forest Hill, Texas; Greeley, Colo.; Houston; Maywood, Ill.; Memphis, Tenn.; Pearland, Texas; Portsmouth, Va.; Rancho Cordova, Calif.; Richmond, Va.; Sacramento, Calif.; Saint Petersburg, Fla.; Stonecrest, Ga.; and Tampa, Fla. The program will run through 2024.