Louisiana Launches $7M Business Training Initiative

New state program aims to address workforce challenges and align training with industry needs.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 2:04am

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A clean, minimalist studio photograph featuring a stack of business documents, a pen, and a calculator arranged on a plain white background, conceptually representing corporate strategy and workforce development.A new $7 million training initiative aims to strengthen Louisiana's workforce by directly aligning business needs with worker development.Baton Rouge Today

Louisiana's workforce development agency has introduced a new $7 million initiative called the Workforce Outcomes and Reimbursement for Key Sectors (WORKS) Training Fund. The program is designed to help businesses across the state access training resources and develop skilled workers in line with industry demands.

Why it matters

The WORKS Training Fund is a significant investment by Louisiana to support businesses and address persistent workforce shortages in key sectors. By directly aligning training with industry needs, the state hopes to improve worker retention and long-term success for both employers and employees.

The details

The WORKS Training Fund will be administered by Louisiana Works, the state's workforce development agency. Businesses must meet certain criteria to participate, including operating in Louisiana, training workers in targeted industries, aligning training with industry skill needs, and reporting key outcomes. The Louisiana Construction Education Foundation will work with Louisiana Works to ensure the training investments match industry demands.

  • The WORKS Training Fund applications open on April 15, 2026.

The players

Louisiana Works

Louisiana's workforce development agency overseeing the new WORKS Training Fund initiative.

Susana Schowen

Secretary of Louisiana Works, who stated the program is designed to help employers solve workforce challenges and ensure training leads to jobs and long-term worker success.

Louisiana Construction Education Foundation

The organization that will work with Louisiana Works to align the training investments with industry needs.

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What they’re saying

“This is about helping employers solve real workforce challenges, right now. We're aligning training directly with business demand and making sure it leads to jobs, retention, and long-term success for workers.”

— Susana Schowen, Secretary, Louisiana Works

What’s next

Businesses can apply for the WORKS Training Fund starting on April 15, 2026.

The takeaway

The new WORKS Training Fund represents Louisiana's proactive approach to addressing persistent workforce shortages by directly investing in training programs that meet the specific needs of the state's key industries. This type of targeted, employer-driven initiative could serve as a model for other states looking to strengthen their local economies through strategic workforce development.