Top career opportunities in Louisiana

By Remington College Posted April 21, 2020

From the lively sounds of the French Quarter to the moss-covered trees and delicious eats of Cajun Country, Louisiana is a vibrant state with unique and fun-filled cities. Known for Mardi Gras and natural attractions, the state draws in residents and visitors alike with its fast pace and Southern charm.

If you've ever thought about making the Pelican State your home, you might be interested in some of the career opportunities in Louisiana.

These are just a few of the jobs that could be available in growing fields in Louisiana.¹

• Process technology: With a location on the coast and a prominent role in the oil and gas industry, Louisiana offers opportunities to work in process technology field.¹ In fact, the state has a much higher concentration of plant operator jobs than elsewhere. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a location quotient of one is average. In Louisiana, the location quotient for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators is 1.25, and it is more than double the national rate for gas plant operators. Louisiana is the second highest employer of chemical plant and system operators in the country, with the highest location quotient (12.77).

• Medical occupations: Healthcare occupations are projected to add more jobs than any other occupational group nationwide from 2018 to 2028, representing about 1.9 million new jobs.² Louisiana is no exception. Education and health services is one of the biggest industries in the state, and it has grown by 3.5 percent, representing some of the fastest growing jobs in Louisiana. If you're interested in this field, you might consider becoming a medical assistant, which is one of the most popular jobs in Louisiana in the healthcare field, or working as a medical office administrator.¹

• Restaurant and retail occupations: With events like Mardis Gras, cities like New Orleans and Cajun and Creole food, it's no surprise tourism is a draw in Louisiana. Indeed, leisure and hospitality is one of the most popular industries in the state, and another growing field in Louisiana. Food preparation and serving occupations, which include chefs and cooks and first-line supervisors, is an extremely popular field representing more than 188,000 jobs. Metros like Baton Rouge and New Orleans, particularly, see a demand for jobs in the restaurant industry. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers, like retail managers, also see a strong share of employment in the state, with nearly 20,000 jobs¹

• Skilled trades: A variety of skilled trade jobs are also popular in the Pelican State. General maintenance workers, who may complete a variety of tasks from carpentry to building repairs, have one of the highest levels of employment in Louisiana at 22,930 jobs.¹ Some types of drafters (outside of architectural and civil, mechanical or electrical) also have a disproportionate rate of working in Louisiana than elsewhere; they top the list of highest location quotient.

Interested in any of these in-demand careers? Enrolling in a technical school might help you gain the skills you need to break into one of these fields and pursue a career.¹

¹Employment not guaranteed for students or graduates.

² BLS statistics represent national job growth expectations and are not necessarily reflective of local market conditions.

Sources

• Louisiana tourism draws
  • http://www.louisianatravel.com/
• Plant operator jobs in Louisiana
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_la.htm
• Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes518031.htm
• Gas plant operators
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes518092.htm
• Chemical plant and system operators
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes518091.htm
• Growth in healthcare occupations
  • http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm
• Largest industries in Louisiana
  • http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.la.htm
• Medical assistants
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319092.htm
• Most popular jobs in Louisiana
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_la.htm
• Medical office administration
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292071.htm
• Food preparation and serving related occupations
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes350000.htm
• First-line supervisors or retail sales workers
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes350000.htm
• General maintenance and repair workers
  • http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes499071.htm
• Drafters

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes173019.htm