Job Shortages
The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of Louisiana employers based on the level of education they require. There is no state minimum wage in Louisiana, the minimum wage is $7.25 based on federal law. The one highlighted occupation under each of the three education levels has been selected to expand on in terms of potential career advancement.
Potential Career Advancement
1) Waiter & Waitress to Certified Food Manager
Waiter & Waitress Job Description:
- Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in a restaurant
Entry Level Requirements:
- Food Handler Certification – not required by Louisiana law, but employers may prefer it
- Obtain Food Handler Certification online here ($6, 2 hours); click here to take exam in Español, 普通话, 한국어, Việt, American Sign Language, Tagalog, Serbo-Croatian
- If serving alcohol and/or tobacco, must obtain a responsible vendor service permit ($20)
Certified Food Manager Job Description:
- Responsible for food safety to protect the public from illness as required by state regulations
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Pass the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) certification exam ($55, 1.5 hours)
- Online training courses are not required, but provide knowledge to prepare for the exam
2) Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse
Licensed Practical Nurse Job Description:
- Care for ill and/or injured patients or persons with disabilities
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Must complete a practical nursing program that includes 800 hours of clinical education
- State-approved practical nursing programs are listed here
- Pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-PN) exam
Registered Nurse Job Description:
- Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and administer nursing care
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Complete a two-year or four-year nursing program
- Pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) exam
3) Elementary School Teacher to Education Administrator
Elementary School Teacher Job Description:
- Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level
Entry Level Requirements:
- Complete state-approved teacher preparation programs at an accredited college
- Pass a Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) & a Core Academic Skills for Educators test
- Pass Praxis exams specific to subject area and grade level; full requirements here
Education Administrator Job Description:
- Plan and coordinate student instruction in an educational institution
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Louisiana Department of Education issues two types of administrative certificates – 1) Level 1 for Principals & Supervisors and 2) Level 3 for Superintendents
- Must have a Master’s degree with a concentration in education
- Pass the Praxis School Leaders Licensure Assessment (Level 1)
- 5-years of full-time teaching experience (Level 1)
Immigration in Louisiana
The following are facts about the immigrant community in Louisiana:
- Immigrants comprise 4% of the state population and 5% of the Louisiana labor force
- Top industries of immigrant employment:
- Construction, 26,848 workers
- Retail Trade, 13,723
- Other Services (except Public Administration), 13,382
- Health Care and Social Assistance, 12,149
- Accommodation and Food Services, 11,759
- 23,310 immigrant business owners account for 10% of all self-employed Louisiana residents
- 40% of immigrants in Louisiana are naturalized and another 36% are undocumented
- Top foreign-born countries of origin:
- Mexico, 16%
- Honduras, 15%
- Vietnam, 10%
- Philippines, 5%
- Guatemala, 4%
- 4% of native-born Louisianans are children of an immigrant
- Educational attainment of foreign born adults in Louisiana:
- High School diploma or less – 52%
- More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 19%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher – 29%
- Share of Brain Waste* – 26%
* Share of immigrant professionals, who are unemployed, employed at poverty-level wages in High School diploma or less jobs, or significantly underemployed in more than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree jobs
Sources
Jobs
Projections Managing Partnership (PMP), Projections Central – State Occupational Projections, “Long Term Occupational Projection (2018-2028)”; http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates; https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, “Education and training assignments by detailed occupation,” 2019; https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm
National Council of State Legislatures, “State Minimum Wages”, December 2020; http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wage-chart.aspx#Table
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economic News Release, “Employees on Nonfarm Payrolls by State, Seasonally adjusted”, November 2020; https://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.t03.htm
Potential Career Advancement
National Conference of State Legislatures, “The National Occupational Licensing Database”, March 2020: https://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/occupational-licensing-statute-database.aspx
Immigration
American Immigration Council, State by State Fact Sheet, August 2020; https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/topics/state-by-state