In this episode of "Talk That NOLA Education," host Dr. Ja'Quil Ross takes listeners inside the workforce revolution happening at the New Orleans Career Center (NOCC). Broadcasting with a full house of guests, Dr. Ross interviews the leadership team transforming how New Orleans high schoolers prepare for high-wage, high-demand careers.
Last year, Brianna Blunt was hired at Cochon, an upscale Cajun restaurant in New Orleans. As a prep cook, she spent hours each day prepping ingredients for a range of Louisiana delicacies they might offer on a given day: catfish, crawfish, gator, rabbit, gumbo, oysters and all types of pork.
She worked alongside seasoned cooks, some with decades of experience in culinary arts around the world. It was nerve wracking. After all, she had only graduated high school two weeks prior. Her coworkers were initially skeptical of this teenager tasked with keeping up in the James Beard-nominated restaurant. Last year, Brianna Blunt was hired at Cochon, an upscale Cajun restaurant in New Orleans. As a prep cook, she spent hours each day prepping ingredients for a range of Louisiana delicacies they might offer on a given day: catfish, crawfish, gator, rabbit, gumbo, oysters and all types of pork.
She worked alongside seasoned cooks, some with decades of experience in culinary arts around the world. It was nerve wracking. After all, she had only graduated high school two weeks prior. Her coworkers were initially skeptical of this teenager tasked with keeping up in the James Beard-nominated restaurant.
Nine recent graduates of the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program at the New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) have joined the ranks of New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (EMS), bolstering the city’s emergency response workforce.
The NOCC program, developed in collaboration with New Orleans EMS, is designed to help ease the agency’s staffing shortage. New Orleans EMS reports its workforce has fallen by nearly 14% since 2019, largely due to budget cuts and retention challenges. This reflects the broader shortage of healthcare workers in the greater New Orleans region.
The EMT program at NOCC is structured as an apprenticeship in which trainees are paid as recruits during their 6-month training period.
Twenty-eight recent graduates of New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) have launched careers and apprenticeships with employers across the region, filling critical roles in healthcare, construction, hospitality, and more. More than 800 young people entered or returned to career prep and technical training programs at NOCC this week.
Hired by organizations such as Ochsner Health, LCMC Health, All-Star Electric, Tulane University, Castellon Pharmacy, and The Windsor Court, these new professionals are working as apprentice electricians, medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, blood donor technicians, and facilities apprentices—roles that offer living wages, benefits, and advancement opportunities.
Since 2018, NOCC has trained more than 2,100 high school students and adults for middle-skill careers in five key sectors: healthcare, building trades, digital media, engineering/manufacturing, and culinary arts/hospitality management.
Twenty-eight recent graduates of New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) have launched careers and apprenticeships with employers across the region, filling critical roles in healthcare, construction, hospitality, and more. More than 800 young people entered or returned to career prep and technical training programs at NOCC this week.
Hired by organizations such as Ochsner Health, LCMC Health, All-Star Electric, Tulane University, Castellon Pharmacy, and The Windsor Court, these new professionals are working as apprentice electricians, medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, blood donor technicians, and facilities apprentices—roles that offer living wages, benefits, and advancement opportunities.
Since 2018, NOCC has trained more than 2,100 high school students and adults for middle-skill careers in five key sectors: healthcare, building trades, digital media, engineering/manufacturing, and culinary arts/hospitality management.
New Orleans, LA, April 21, 2025 – New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) received an assist from the NBA Foundation today in the form of a one-year grant. The grant supports NOCC’s pre-nursing career preparation and technical skills training for high school students and new graduates. High school students from across the city in the pre-nursing career pathways attend NOCC for a half-day every day of the school year for one to two years. NOCC’s career training programs are free to participants.
“New Orleans Career Center and the NBA Foundation share a common goal - increasing the economic prospects of our young people. The Foundation’s support means that New Orleans Career Center can equip more of our city’s young people for careers in healthcare, careers that offer financial stability and opportunities for further training,” said NOCC Founding CEO Claire Jecklin.
The NBA Foundation exists to promote economic empowerment of under-resourced youth by funding high-impact programs that generate successful transitions from school to meaningful employment. The NBA Foundation launched in 2020 with a commitment from the NBA Governors committed to invest $300 million in NBA team market organizations over 10 years.
Currently, 280 New Orleans young people are training to enter healthcare careers at NOCC.
(April 14, 2025) – New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) engineering trainees participating in the ACE Mentor Program have worked the entire school year to redesign and repurpose the historic General Laundry Cleaners and Dyers building in the Treme-Lafitte neighborhood. In addition to repurposing the old laundry, the trainees designed new housing at the rear of the historic structure with views of Lafitte Greenway. All of the trainees’ work has been in collaboration with architecture, construction, and engineering (ACE) professionals who volunteer their time in the ACE Mentor Program of New Orleans.
One of those professionals is Max Murret, Project Manager at RNGD, a New Orleans general contracting company. “This year marks a milestone for the ACE Mentorship Program at the New Orleans Career Center—our largest group of students yet. Over the past four years I’ve been involved, it’s been incredible to watch the program thrive and evolve,” said Murret. “Each week, our students bring curiosity and creativity into the classroom, and they’re guided by top-tier mentors from some of the most respected firms and companies in New Orleans. This direct connection to industry professionals gives them a unique, hands-on perspective on real-world careers in ACE fields.”
The General Laundry Cleaners and Dyers building, built in 1930, is considered one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in the city. The building's stucco facade includes terracotta depictions of lush tropical vegetation and brightly colored, eye-catching tiles. The building which has sat dormant and neglected for many years, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The NOCC trainees will present the end result of their project at the ACE graduation ceremony and banquet on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom on the campus of UNO.
New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) received a delightful surprise post-Super Bowl LIX: a vibrant fan photo opp display, inspired by the city’s iconic colorful porches, was donated to its Treme campus. Originally located in Jackson Square, this set now enhances NOCC’s Collaborative Courtyard, providing trainees in building trades and other fields with authentic working conditions. As a key player in workforce development, NOCC was actively involved in pre-Super Bowl events, including receiving a grant from the Impact 59 Powered by Entergy initiative, participating in the “Taste of the NFL,” and packing food at Second Harvest. Additionally, NOCC Building Trades trainees and staff had the unique opportunity to interact with NFL players and sports media at the Super Bowl Breakfast.
