LED’s FastStart Named Best Workforce Training Program

Louisiana’s FastStart workforce training program has been named the best in the nation by Business Facilitiesmagazine for a record eight years in a row. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says this can help LED bring more companies to the Bayou State.

“This provides a lot of security to that company that’s considering that location or expansion here in Louisiana,” Pierson said.

Pierson says per capita, Louisiana attracts more jobs and major projects than any other state. He says although as a state we’re small in stature – having a statewide population comparable to just the Houston area – we’re standing out in a big way.

“We’ve got some big states competing against us, but to see that pound for pound we’re bringing home the highest ratio of jobs and projects speaks to the hard work that’s done by Louisiana Economic Development,” Pierson said.

Business Facilities also ranked Louisiana third for infrastructure, seventh for cost of doing business, ninth for exports and economic growth potential, and tenth for industrial electricity rates. Pierson says that’s evidenced by job growth in the state.

“Over the last year, we now have a net plus 22,000 jobs in our state. We really feel like we’ve got great momentum. The unemployment rate is dropping in all regions of our state,” Pierson said.