Louisiana Colleges and Universities: Career Education & Training

Louisiana is home to five Fortune 500 companies, two of which have their headquarters in the state's largest city, New Orleans. Among Louisiana's most lucrative Fortune 500 businesses:

• Entergy
• Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold
• Shaw Group
• CenturyTel
• Pool Corporation

The companies, representing a range of mining, utilities, telecommunications, wholesale, and construction industries, provide jobs for many of Louisiana's workforce of 1.9 million. Top Louisiana business Entergy recently petitioned the state to repower a natural gas generating unit in Montz, LA, creating more job opportunities in the area.

As of May 2007, the state's 4.8% unemployment rate was only slightly higher than the national average. The trade, transportation, and utilities industry is the state's largest employer, though a number of opportunities can be found in the following industries:

• Government
• Educational and health services
• Professional and business services
• Leisure and hospitality

The tourism industry is important to New Orleans, where Salary.com reports that card room managers in the city's casinos earn $73,300 on average. A nationwide surge in healthcare careers is also expected to have a positive effect on jobs in Louisiana. Medical assistants in New Orleans earn $28,700 on average, often with a minimal amount of career training. While no education program can guarantee a career or salary, hiring managers in healthcare and management fields often prefer applicants with education or training.

Sources:

• CNN Money
• Salary.com
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics