LSU Online on Monday announced it is partnering with the National Center for Construction Education and Research, or NCCER, to expand its professional development offerings with two new industry-aligned certificate programs.
The two new programs are the Construction Superintendent Certification Program and the Construction Foreman Certification Program.
According to LSU, the new offerings are intended to address a “critical” workforce need in Louisiana, as demand is growing for skilled jobsite leaders who not only understand construction processes but are also capable of leading teams, managing risk, maintaining safety standards and delivering projects efficiently.
“The construction industry faces a shortage of qualified site leaders, especially as experienced supervisors retire and projects grow more complex,” a statement from LSU reads. “By partnering with NCCER, a nationally recognized leader in construction education and workforce development, LSU Online is helping build a stronger pipeline of job-ready leaders.”
The Construction Superintendent Certification Program is designed for experienced craft professionals, crew leaders and foremen looking to take on broader project oversight responsibilities. It provides comprehensive supervisory training grounded in real-world construction operations.
The Construction Foreman Certification Program, meanwhile, is designed for experienced workers transitioning into their first leadership roles. It’s described as a “steppingstone toward superintendent-level leadership.”
Both programs are being offered in a self-paced online format.
The impacts of the construction industry’s labor shortage are being felt both locally and nationally. And while the shortage isn’t a new problem, conditions have worsened in recent months and years.
Danushka Nanayakkara, assistant vice president for forecasting and analysis at the National Association of Home Builders, told attendees at November’s Home Builders Association of Greater Baton Rouge luncheon that the construction industry has faced workforce challenges since the Great Recession. The recent immigration crackdown only exacerbated the issue.
“We lost about a million workers at that time, and you don’t hear young people running to go into trade careers, so because of that, we have an aging labor force,” Nanayakkara said. “We don’t have enough women working in the trades either. Immigrants make up about 30% of the construction force, so with the immigration crackdown, the labor supply will be affected going forward.”
