Industrial projects in Louisiana – new and expanding – are booming. What is driving that growth, and what will the impact be?
I think that the current growth that we’re seeing is a culmination of several different things. It started around 2012 when fracking opened up natural gas. That alerted the whole world that Louisiana is competitive globally, and we were able to attract projects due to the low price of natural gas. More recently, I think some of the incentives that the government have passed for new energy are driving new investments, along with new technologies, in being able to compress LNG and natural gas so that it can be exported. Natural gas was very much of a local market until they were able to compress it. And we actually had plants built to import natural gas, and they flipped those plants and made them into export facilities, and it changed everything. And now this administration has been doing many things differently to enable expansion of industry in Louisiana. So I think the state is doing a great job of landing new projects.
Meeting the increasing demand for skilled workers is a monumental challenge. Where do you see progress being made, and where do you seek greater urgency from state, regional and local leaders?
Workforce development, especially skilled craft workforce development, is the cornerstone of what GBRIA was built on. And I’ve had the fortunate position to be here for over 20 years and it’s been very interesting to watch how changes have taken place. When I started, there was mostly just Associated Builders and Contractors t providing skilled craft training at night. Now schools are required to offer career and technical education, and students are required choose their career pathway by the ninth grade. Even the Department of Education is requiring students to complete an internship in high school for their final graduation. So, the focus on career development has completely shifted over this time. One of the current projects that we’re working on with the Louisiana Workforce Commission is to get more Louisiana citizens to be able to work for the industry, including offering training for those on SNAP and ENT benefits. The state has made huge investments over the last 15 years in the community and technical college system, and they’ve been a key player and done a great job of responding and putting in new training programs.
Energy, manufacturing, process industries and other industrial sectors are operating on the leading edge of the technological revolution. How is the integration of AI and other emerging technologies playing out for you and your stakeholders?
This is an exciting new area, and in our strategic planning meeting this past year, our board said we need to double down on helping companies share best practices with respect to implementing technologies. Some examples of things we’re seeing that companies researching are things like how to use swarms of drones to go out and do inspections in the plant, identifying different things and communicating with each other. We’re also seeing the use of gaming technology to develop digital twin models much quicker. Additive manufacturing is another major development. It’s not just plastic parts anymore—they can print metal components that meet stringent requirements. Companies that used to keep parts in stock or source them globally can now just print them on demand. New technologies aren’t all digital either. Companies are using rope access instead of building scaffolding, which is a completely different way of thinking about work. And then there’s quantum computing. AI is just the tip of the iceberg. Quantum computing is already being used to solve major problems like logistics, and by 2029 it’s going to be out of the gate.
What do you consider Louisiana’s most important recent legislative or policy wins for industry, and what do you think should be the top legislative priority for building that momentum?
A big recent win that we’ve been collaborating with LA Works on is to improve access to training and employment. The move toward a more coordinated, one-stop approach is making it easier for people to connect to opportunities. There’s also been a lot of progress in aligning education with industry needs. Work on industry-based credentials and engagement with high schools is helping ensure that what students are learning actually feeds into available jobs. From a policy standpoint, tools like the industrial property tax exemption remain critical for attracting investment. And just as important as any specific policy is stability—companies need to understand the rules of the game and trust that they’re not going to change unpredictably. Carbon sequestration is another area with significant potential economic impact, though it comes with public perception challenges. A big part of the work right now is helping educate communities and navigate that conversation. At the end of the day, consistency, coordination and clarity in policy are what will sustain momentum and continue attracting industry to Louisiana.
What is the most critical challenge – and most exciting opportunity – affecting your organization at the moment?
A major challenge—and opportunity—is community support for industry. There have always been activists, but what’s changed in recent years is the level of funding and organization behind those efforts. We’re seeing large-scale, well-funded campaigns that bring people from outside communities into local hearings, generate thousands of letters and create a very visible opposition presence. That doesn’t always reflect the views of local residents, but it does influence outcomes. We’ve seen projects delayed or derailed even after significant investment because of that pressure. That creates real uncertainty for companies looking to invest in Louisiana. The opportunity is for industry and its workforce to become more engaged. Elected officials are asking for more visible support from the people who actually live and work in these communities. That doesn’t necessarily mean speaking at hearings—it can be as simple as showing up, being present and demonstrating that there is community support for these projects. At the end of the day, it’s about people understanding that these decisions affect their jobs, their communities and their future—and getting involved accordingly.
