GULF ISLAND TO EXPAND SHIPYARD WORKFORCE NEAR HOUMA
Shipbuilding project will add 106 new direct jobs in Terrebonne Parish
BATON ROUGE, La. — Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards and Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. President and CEO Richard W. Heo announced the company will expand its Shipyard Division workforce near Houma. The company will create 106 new direct jobs at an average annual salary of $48,000, plus benefits, to accommodate orders for marine vessel construction. Those orders include ferries, university research vessels funded by the National Science Foundation, and towing, salvage and rescue ships for the U.S. Navy.
Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 123 new indirect jobs, for a total of 229 new jobs for Terrebonne Parish and the Bayou Region. Gulf Island also is retaining 308 existing jobs at its Shipyard Division facility along the Houma Navigation Canal.
“Gulf Island has long been recognized as a leader in the construction and repair of marine vessels,” Gov. Edwards said. “Shipyards have been a pillar of our coastal economy for many years, and this employment expansion at the company’s shipyard facility near Houma is welcome news for Terrebonne Parish and the surrounding area. Gulf Island should find our skilled workforce in the Bayou Region ready and able to take on the shipyard’s increasing workload.”
TEDA SEEKING COMPANIES SEVERELY IMPACTED BY HURRICANE BARRY
TEDA, in conjunction with Louisiana Economic Development, has begun assessing the impact of Hurricane Barry. These efforts will inform the decisions of any local, state, or federal programs in place to assist businesses with recovery.
Please contact TEDA at 873-6890 or message us with contact information if any of the below issues are affecting your business:
· Commercial or industrial property damage due to rain, wind, or flooding;
· Continued loss of utility services such as electricity, internet or phone;
· Long-term interruption of operations; or
· Unresolved issues with access to workforce related to the storm.
We wish to help heighten awareness of your company's situation with service providers and potentially help restore your business to full functionality.
Also, please share with us an estimate of the financial damage caused to your company. This information is vitally important for garnering potential business assistance funds that may come available, as well as allowing TEDA to lend its aid at this time.
Emails can be sent to info@tpeda.org or ktheriot@tpeda.org. Staff will follow up with you as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Position Available: Business Outreach Assistant (Part-time)
JOB DESCRIPTION
POSITION TITLE………….…: Business Outreach Assistant (Part-time)
WAGES………………………...: to be determined
SUMMARY:
The Business Outreach Assistant is a supervised position supporting business outreach and economic development efforts. Primary functions focus on general clerical and outreach duties, including telephoning companies, copying and scanning, typing, database entry, filing of correspondence and reports in support of the functions of economic development functions.
BASIC FUNCTIONS:
1. Administrative tasks – answering phone calls, sorting mail, etc.
2. Scanning and organizing files
3. Conducting business retention outreach to schedule meetings and compile data
4. Making copies and preparing direct mailings
5. Assist with physical execution of special events as needed, including meetings outside of offices which may require travel within the parish
6. Perform related duties as assigned.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
1. Familiarity with modern office equipment and computer equipment.
2. Familiarity with common word processing and spreadsheet software used on personal computers such as Word and Excel
3. Telephone etiquette and calling skills.
4. Resident of Terrebonne, Lafourche or Assumption Parish.
5. Must be age 18 or older.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
1. A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
2. Enrollment in higher-education in business, economics or other relevant field of study.
3. Little to no formal employment experience preferred.
CONTACT:
Katherine Gilbert-Theriot, Director of Business Retention & Expansion
Terrebonne Economic Development Authority
985-873-6890
Houma airport receives $1.3M federal grant for unmanned aircraft
The Houma-Terrebonne Airport received a $1.3 million grant from the federal government
today to advance its unmanned aviation system.
The airport commission has been working for over a year to develop the modern aircraft
system through public-private partnerships as a way to diversify and support the local
economy. The $2.3 million project includes building a new 40,000-square-foot hangar, access
road and taxiway.
The unmanned aircraft are expected to provide new services to the oil and gas industry before
developing into new fields. The airport’s close proximity to the Intracoastal Waterway and
access to the Gulf of Mexico has been billed as one of its strongest advantages to develop the
new technology.
“We are most excited by this announcement for its potential to provide new value for our oil
and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico and along our coast,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a
news release.“Louisiana has long been a leader in subsea technology in the offshore energy
industry. Now, we will be at the cutting-edge of aerial technology. By joining our education,
government and private-sector partners, we can make Louisiana a true leader in unmanned
aircraft technology to tackle many of our biggest challenges in the energy, security and military
sectors.”
The program is in conjunction with Terrebonne Economic Development Authority, Nicholls
State University, Fletcher Technical Community College and private companies and is being
called the Gulf of Mexico UAS Center of Excellence, or UGC.
The governor also signed an executive order commissioning the Center of Excellence at a
ceremony held at the airport today.
Houma airport receives $1.3M federal grant for
unmanned aircraft
“This really is what the future should look like,” Edwards said, noting the aircraft’s capabilities
for coastal safety and protection, including the ability to detect oil spills and weather events.
“What a unique opportunity for Terrebonne Parish,” Parish President Gordy Dove said. “This
is really the wave of the future.”
“It’s so good for Terrebonne Parish to be a step up on technology. It’s a testimony to
Terrebonne Parish’s willingness to go into other industries and be the first one out there,”
Dove said.
The grant was awarded by the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development
Administration through efforts by the South Central Planning and Development Commission.
It also requires a $337,500 local match. The airport commission previously set aside $200,000
for the project.
The project is expected to create and retain a total of 220 jobs and generate $50 million in
private investments, according to the Commerce Department.
“Having UAS operations on airport facilities in the Gulf Coast will help attract new businesses
to the area and generate significant economic activity for the state of Louisiana,” Secretary of
Commerce Wilbur Ross said.
The new Airport Commission Director Mert Pellegrin announced the pending grant upon his
arrival in May.
The unmanned aircraft program plans to begin remotely operating cargo operations by 2020,
with fully autonomous aircraft coming to the region by 2025.
Fletcher also announced last week that its first drone workshop is expected to begin in July or
August.
“A UAS facility at the Houma-Terrebonne Airport will facilitate the deployment of drones in
the region, a valuable resource for oil and gas development and other industries, and support
drone research at Nicholls State University,” said U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.
“This is a huge win for Terrebonne Parish after a tough downturn in the oil industry,” said
U.S. Sen John Kennedy, R-La. “Investments like this encourage technological developments
and create jobs.”
“With the addition of an Unmanned Aviation System facility, the Houma-Terrebonne Airport
will soon be at the forefront of this new transportation technology and capability,” said
Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, who represents southern Terrebonne and Lafourche
parishes.
Staff Writer Julia Arenstam can be reached at 448-7636 or julia.arenstam@houmatoday.com. Follow her
on Twitter at @JuliaArenstam.
LOUISIANA RUN FOR THE WETLANDS
The Louisiana Race for the Wetlands is a new experiential run designed to get a broader group of people to experience and understand more about the coastal wetlands in south Louisiana. The route offers an off-road perspective through some of the most beautiful scenery you will find. With food and drinks included, it is sure to be a good time. Come join our inaugural event and help make it like no other.
SUN, APRIL 7, 2019
Louisiana Run 4 the Wetlands
Montegut Recreation Center in Montegut, LA
Check out our facebook page and website to register today!
Report forecasts uptick in Gulf oilfield
The Gulf of Mexico will see an increase in drilling this year for the first time since an oil bust began in mid-2014, a new forecast says.
“We expect 2019 to be a strong year for the Gulf of Mexico,” William Turner, senior research analyst at the global energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie, said in a news release. “In addition to exciting new project sanctions, which could usher in more than $10 billion of investment into the region, a couple of historic firsts set to occur next year could set the stage for years to come.”
Whether that translates into new jobs for Houma-Thibodaux, and how many, remains uncertain. But the report from the prominent consulting firm is among the most optimistic since a global crude glut sent oil prices plunging, stripping more than 16,000 jobs from the area’s offshore-oil-based economy.
Shell and Chevron will lead the way, but the actual growth in exploration will come from new entrants, Wood Mckenzie says in its report, “US Gulf of Mexico: 5 things to look for in 2019.” They include companies such as Kosmos Energy, Equinor, Total, Murphy and Fieldwood.
Two major projects serve as bellwethers for the Gulf overall, according to the report, released in mid-December.
-- Chevron’s Anchor project, about 140 miles south of the Gulf oilfield service hub at Port Fourchon, is poised for a final investment decision this year. If approved, it would be the first project using new ultra-high-pressure technology to reach that stage, the result of more than two decades of industry research and development.
“Anchor will be an important one to watch,” Turner said. “The sanction of Anchor will be a significant milestone for Chevron, Total and Venari but also marks a crucial point for the offshore industry as it enters the final frontier in deepwater development.”
Success at Anchor will lead to the next wave of mega-investment in the Gulf, as several other projects using the same technology are waiting to follow its lead. Wood Mackenzie predicts that if Anchor moves forward, more than $10 billion of investment could flow into the region.
-- Shell’s Appomattox development, about 200 miles southeast of Port Fourchon, is set to begin producing oil and gas this year. It will be the Gulf’s first production from a Jurassic reservoir, high-quality oil in sediments that date back about 150 million years. It also required new technology to reach greater depths at higher pressures.
“If the Jurassic roars to life in 2019, it could give operators greater confidence in the play’s potential,” Turner said. “However, if Appomattox disappoints, the Jurassic could continue to lie dormant. The wider region would also be missing an expected strong production growth contributor.”
The report is one of several that predict an uptick this year in the Gulf oilfield. All hinge, in large part, on what happens to oil prices, which are notoriously volatile and difficult to predict, with analysts’ estimates varying widely.
Louisiana economist Loren Scott’s annual economic forecast, released in late September, projects the Houma-Thibodaux metro area, comprised of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, will gain 700 jobs, 0.8 percent, this year. It will add another 2,100 jobs, 2.4 percent, in 2020, driven largely by gains in oil and gas. Scott’s forecast is based on oil rising from an average of $65 a barrel in 2018 to $80 a barrel by 2020.
U.S. crude ended 2018 at about $45 a barrel, down 25 percent, the first annual loss since 2015. The trend was similar for Brent, which ended the year at $54 a barrel, down 20 percent. Both ended last week about $3 higher.
In its annual forecast, the LSU Center for Energy Studies predicts increased activity this year but says in the short term the Gulf rig count will remain around 20, where it has been for months.
The Gulf Coast Energy Outlook, released in November, tempers its forecast for offshore job growth by noting what other economists and analysts have said for years. Specifically, it says companies have cut costs through innovation and efficiency, including increased automation and the use of tiebacks that run pipelines from sub-sea wells to existing platforms rather than building new ones.
“This is great news in terms of making the Gulf of Mexico more competitive for future production by lowering costs per barrel of production,” the report says. “However, these productivity gains also mean that fewer workers are needed for a given level of production.”
-- Executive Editor Keith Magill can be reached at 857-2201 or keith.magill@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @CourierEditor.
Local oilfield service company adds 150 workers
Two major contracts in the Gulf of Mexico have prompted a local oilfield-service company to hire 150 new workers, officials said today.
Danos, based in Gray, says it has secured a contract to provide production workers to Equinor’s Titan platform, which operates in nearly 4,000 feet of water about 60 miles southeast of the offshore service hub at Port Fourchon.
The project, which began late last year, is Danos’ second with Equinor after it was awarded a contract for coatings maintenance on the Titan platform in the fall.
“Danos is excited for the opportunity to work with a high-performing company like Equinor,” owner Paul Danos said in a news release. “Securing and executing the details of the contract has been a true team effort, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to customer service and excellence.”
The company has also been awarded a multi-year contract for production operations with another major oil and gas producer in the Gulf, though company officials would not discuss specifics.
Danos has increased its production workforce by about 150 new employees as a result of the contracts. Most of the new positions are production operators who will be working on the Gulf Coast, with projects spanning from Galveston, Texas, to Venice, La.
“Danos’ ability to provide a recruiting and retention model for competent and skilled workers heavily influenced both contracts,” Danos said. “I commend Danos’ operations team, as well as our human resources team who worked closely with our customers’ operations and procurement teams to make both projects possible.”
Danos, which employs about 2,200 people, is the largest private employer in Terrebonne Parish.
Equinor, based in Norway with U.S. headquarters in Houston, owns 100 percent of the Titan operation and part of 10 others in the Gulf. Its operations there produce about 100,000 barrels of oil per day, and the company says planned growth will make it the fifth-largest producer in the Gulf by 2020.
-- Executive Editor Keith Magill can be reached at 857-2201 or keith.magill@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter@CourierEditor.
Fletcher to build new career center
Fletcher Technical Community College is taking steps to build a $5 million career center building on its main campus in Schriever with the help of a local organization.
The South Central Industrial Association announced last month it was donating $60,000 to the school to build the ACT 360 Career Center.
“The SCIA donation was the last piece of the puzzle in raising the 12 percent of the matching funds to proceed with certifying the match for bond sales at the state level,” Fletcher Chancellor Kristine Strickland said.
The $5.1 million complex will be paid for through bond sales and a $600,0000 match.
“The Career Center will provide career assessment, whether you are age 18 or 55. It will be a site for industry interviews and job placement. It will also house many community agencies, including workforce commission, to learn about training opportunities and job opportunities,” Strickland said.
Depending on the date of a bond sale, Strickland said, she hopes construction on the center will begin in the near future.
SCIA’s donation is part of the organization’s mission to provide resources for local industry, including a focus on education of the workforce and job training, the organization said.
“This falls very much in line with our mission of proactively developing solutions focused on improving the business climate and quality of life in our region,” said Chett Chiasson, SCIA executive vice president and Lafourche Port Commission executive director.
SCIA also made other donations last year, including those to the Morganza Action Coalition, the La. 1 Coalition, Restore or Retreat and Nicholls State University.
Staff Writer Julia Arenstam can be reached at 448-7636 or julia.arenstam@houmatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliaArenstam.
Program can help train workers in farm and seafood industries - - Workers' dependents may also qualify for assistance
HOUMA – Those who work on farms or harvesting seafood – even if seasonal workers -- may qualify for a program to increase their skill sets to benefit their current or future employers. These workers can also potentially receive vouchers to help meet daily living expenses such as gasoline, groceries, supplies and uniforms.
The program aims to aid those in lower-income agriculture and aquaculture jobs reach their goals to earn higher wages. Half of a person’s income must be earned through farm or seafood work to qualify for the Motivation Education & Training (MET), Inc., program, funded through the National Farmworker Jobs Program and U.S. Department of Labor; income limits do apply.
Therefore, a company can identify the training workers need and if workers meet income requirements, they may receive up to 10 weeks of training in those areas. Training may include industry-specific equipment or processing skills; or classes in English as a second language or computer technology, toward a GED, CDL or other certification.
Those workers wishing to change careers may receive medical or dental training, or classes to become a service technician or business-office worker.
Individuals wishing to supplement their farm income or change careers could train in other areas as well, and a stipend may be available to aid with living expenses during training. A qualifying worker’s dependent could also be eligible for career training and other benefits. Career counseling, job-placement and other services are also available.
For more information or to apply, call Nash Pitre at 985-858-2894 or email houma@metinc.org.
Jump Start provides job-ready workers
Employers in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes can easily find new employees educated through local schools as part of the state’s Jump Start career pathway program.
“Say you’re a retailer looking to increase your staff for the holiday shopping season. Wouldn’t it be nice to hire a young person for evening shifts who has some training in customer service?” the Terrebonne Economic Development Authority said in a news release.
Terrebonne Parish public school students earned more than 3,000 certifications by their 2018 graduation, TEDA said.
Jump Start is Louisiana’s career and technical education program that aims to begin career training while students are still in high school, allowing them to earn industry-based certifications and a career diploma.
High school student are earning certifications in the areas of automotive, health care, food service, web design, emergency medical services, construction, carpentry, electrical, welding, transportation, agriculture, business and more.
“These Jump Start career diplomas give students a level of knowledge in these areas, offering companies new options when hiring entry-level staff and providing students skills sets upon which they can build through their career or further education,” TEDA said.
In 2018, TEDA said, about 42 percent of Terrebonne graduates, or 480 students, received 3,361 certifications. Next May, the system anticipates graduating about another 450 with certifications.
TEDA is organizing a spring job fair to help the pending graduates. Call 873-6890 for information about Jump Start graduates or if your company is interested in participating in the job fair.
Employers: Look for certifications when hiring entry-level staff
Terrebonne Parish Public School Students earned more than 3,000 certifications by their 2018 graduation.
HOUMA, October 17, 2018 – It’s an HR manager’s dream: Finding a low-cost way of assessing an applicant’s skill sets and training.
Luckily, employers have a new tool they can use when hiring entry-level employees, being brought to the hiring community via the Jump Start career pathway program.
Jump Start is Louisiana’s career and technical education program which aims to begin career training while students are still in high school, allowing them to earn industry-based certifications and culminating their high-school career with a Career Diploma. The program sets the students up to enter the workforce and/or continue their education with a head start on skill sets needed by employers.
Say you’re a retailer looking to increase your staff for the holiday shopping season: wouldn’t it be nice to hire a young person for evening shifts who has some training in customer service? The Jump Start program offers a Customer Service and Sales certification – and students across Terrebonne Parish are testing for the certification this fall.
But Customer Service and Sales is only one of the certifications available to students. Terrebonne Parish School students can earn several of the following in their junior and senior years:
• Adobe Certified Associate Photoshop
• ASE Automotive certifications (auto body/collision and repair technology/technician, drive train and axels, electrical/electronics, engine performance and repair, heating/air conditioning, maintenance/light repair, steering/suspension, and transmission/transaxel)
• ASE Welding Level 1
• Certified Nursing Assistant
• Certified Restaurant Server
• CIW Web Design Specialist, Network Technology Associate, Internet Business Associate
• Emergency Medical Responder
• FEMA National Incident Management System
• First Aid/CPR/AED
• Food and Beverage Executive
• Louisiana Micro-Enterprise
• Microsoft Office Specialist
• Microsoft Office Specialist Master
• MOUS Office Specialist 2010
• NCCER Core
• NCCER Carpentry Level 1 and 2
• NCCER Electrical Level 1 and 2
• NCCER Welding Level 2
• OSHA 10 General Industry
• Pro Start S/P2 Safety and Pollution Prevention
• ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certificate
• T2 Production Safety Systems
• WorkKeys (skills evaluation in applied math, graphic literacy and workplace documents
These Jump Start career diplomas give students a level of knowledge in these areas, offering companies new options when hiring entry-level staff and providing students skills sets upon which they can build through their career or further education.
College-bound students are also earning certifications in the business and production safety applications, all extremely useful as they further their education.
In fact, in its first graduating year of the various Jump Start curriculum, Terrebonne Parish School District graduates approximately 42% of its student population with a total of 3,361 certifications in 2018; that’s 480 graduates with industry-based certifications in hand. In May 2019, the system anticipates graduating approximately another 450 with certifications.
Discussion has started about conducting a job fair in Spring 2019 to help these pending graduates connect with potential employers. If your company would be interested in participating in such a job fair, please contact TEDA at 985-873-6890.
Students training for entry-level jobs
Terrebonne Economic Development Authority is touting a local school district program that aims to provide high school students with problem-solving skills and the ability to be trained to fill entry-level jobs.
The ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate test is given to Terrebonne students on Jump Start Career Pathway tracks, some upper level English students and students who scores a 21 or less on the ACT college entrance test.
TEDA says students can earn certifications that verify proficiency in problem solving; critical thinking; reading and using work-related text; applying information from workplace documents and mathematical reasoning to solve problems; locating, synthesizing and applying information presented graphically; and comparing, summarizing and analyzing information presented in multiple graphics.
“Why is this valuable to businesses? These areas indicate students’ strength in using mathematical reasoning and problem-solving techniques to solve work-related problems,” TEDA said.
Among the skills student are taught are solving problems using mathematical skills, identifying a trend and figuring out a goal to a new situation, TEDA said.
Students with WorkKeys certificates can help employers better align their new hires’ skills with those needed for a job, TEDA said. That also translates into “shorter training times with greater knowledge retention, reduced turnover, increased performance ratings for skilled workers, improved employee morale and decreased operator error.”
Students with certification are being advised to note this on their resumes and job applications. They can be verified at http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/workkeys-for-educators/ncrc.html.
For information, call Katherine Gilbert-Theriot at TEDA at 873-6890.
Schools using test to indicate level of soft skills
HOUMA -- Are you struggling to hire entry-level employees who can show up on time and can be a trained?
The Terrebonne Parish School District is using a tool that can aid in reassuring you that the application of that high-school student or recent graduate you’re holding might be good fit for your company.
It’s the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) test, and it’s given to all students who are on Jump Start Career Pathway tracks, some upper level English students and is available to any student who scores a 21 or less on the ACT. Educators say that’s approximately 50 percent of the high-school population, and TPSD covers the cost for students.
Though WorkKeys testing students can earn certifications in Applied Math, Graphic Literacy and/or Workplace Documents on four levels – bronze, silver, gold and platinum. The credentials verify skills proficiency in
• problem solving
• critical thinking
• reading and using work-related text
• applying information from workplace documents and mathematical reasoning to solve problems
• locating, synthesizing and applying information presented graphically, and
• comparing, summarizing and analyzing information presented in multiple graphics.
For example, with a gold Applied Math certificate, students demonstrate their ability to solve problems using mathematical operations with mixed units, identify where a mistake occurred in calculations, calculate percentages and use it to determine a discount, markup or tax, convert between units of measurement, and other skills.
A gold Graphic Literacy certificate indicates students can locate information in a graphic using information found in another graphic, identify a trend/pattern/relationship and justify a decision based on information, among other skills.
Regarding Workplace Documents, a gold certificate indicates the ability to infer meanings of words or phrases from context, apply instructions to a new situation similar to the one described in a document while considering changing conditions and make inferences to accomplish a goal.
Why is this valuable to businesses? These areas indicate students’ strength in using mathematical reasoning and problem-solving techniques to solve work-related problems; graphs, charts, tables, floor plans and instrument gauges; and written text to do a job. The higher the score on the WorkKeys assessment (on a scale of 3 to 7), the greater the ability.
WorkKeys certificates are tools that can help employers better align their new hires’ skills with those needed for a job. That translates into a better-quality hire, shorter training times with greater knowledge retention, reduced turnover, increased performance ratings for skilled workers, improved employee morale and decreased operator error.
How do you know if an applicant has these certifications? Their school counselors have been recommending certifications be listed on resumes, added to job application forms and certificate copies offered to potential employers. Students have also been counseled to make their certificates publicly available so employers to verify them by entering a registration number online at http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/workkeys-for-educators/ncrc.html
Want more information on WorkKeys certificates? Contact Katherine Gilbert-Theriot with Terrebonne Economic Development at 985-873-6890.
Local economy starts ‘long road back’
New report by well-known Louisiana economist predicts slow recovery after four-year oil bust.
A new forecast from a well-known Louisiana economist presents one of the most optimistic forecasts for Houma-Thibodaux’s economy since an offshore oil bust began four years ago.
Loren Scott’s annual economic forecast, which he delivered Wednesday to members of the South Louisiana Economic Council and other local business officials, does not predict a return to boom times anytime soon. Instead, it describes the area’s oil-based economy as beginning a slow climb from the bottom of the latest downfall.
“After much bloodletting, the corner appears to have been turned,” the report says. “Fabricators and shipbuilders are making a reasonably successful shift to non-extraction-related-customers. An oil price of $80 a barrel by 2020 is expected to start a serious revival in the Gulf by 2020.”
Scott projects the metro area, comprised of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, will gain 700 jobs, 0.8 percent, next year. It will add another 2,100 jobs, 2.4 percent, in 2020, driven largely by gains in oil and gas.
A rebound has already begun, the report suggests, defying his prediction last year that the area would lose another 1,800 jobs in 2018. Instead, he now predicts the local economy will end the year with a net gain of 200 jobs.
“The numbers obviously do not show great growth,” the report says, “but at least they are up.”
‘LONG ROAD BACK’
Houma has a “long road back” to anything akin to the vibrant economy it enjoyed before a global crude glut caused oil prices to plummet and local jobs to vanish, the report suggests.
The area has lost roughly 16,000 jobs -- about one of every six -- since mid-2014 as low crude prices sparked layoffs and work slowdowns throughout the oil industry.
“This is more than 2 1/2 times worse than what U.S. employment declined during the Great Recession over 2008-09,” Scott says in the report.
Here, according to the report, is how some local companies have dealt with the downturn:
Edison Chouest, a Galliano-based company that builds and operates oilfield supply boats, cut the number of workers at its LaShip yard in Houma in half to 500. One hundred of the company’s 250 boats are are docked, and its mariners are working about half the time they did before the collapse. Employment at Chouest’s North American Shipyard in Larose has declined from about 500 to 200. Its North American maintenance facility at Port Fourchon remains open with about 300 workers.
Chett Morrison, a Houma-based fabrication company, cut its workforce from 515 to 320.
Baker-Hughes closed its 50-person oil services office in Houma.
Hercules Offshore, which operated a fleet of oilfield service boats, declared bankruptcy, closed its Houma yard and laid off 50 people there.
National Oilwell Varco, which builds oilfield equipment, closed its Houma facility at a cost of 80 jobs.
CCHI Aviation closed its Galliano base, laying off 74 pilots, mechanics and support staff.
Offshore Specialty Fabricators began layoffs in May 2016 that cost 67 jobs.
“The bloodbath was obviously not confined to the direct oil and exploration companies but also to tangentially connected companies,” the report says.
KEY TO A COMEBACK
Scott cites several developments as evidence the local economy has hit bottom and is on the path toward slow improvement. The area has posted several months of year-to-year job gains, truck traffic to and from the Gulf oilfield hub of Port Fourchon is picking up, and service companies along the Louisiana coast are planning for growth through 2020. Gulf oil lease sales, though far below historic highs, are on the rise. And many companies are beginning to diversify the kinds of work they do to become less reliant on the oil industry’s boom-or-bust cycles.
But the key to any comeback is the same thing it has been for decades: the price of crude oil.
It’s notoriously difficult to predict long-term crude prices because so many variables affect them -- political and regulatory decisions, production activity by major suppliers like the U.S. and OPEC, economic conditions or unrest in far-flung parts of the world, and global supply and demand. As a result, analysts’ and predictions vary significantly.
Scott predicts oil will rise from an average $65 a barrel this year to $80 a barrel by 2020. Whether that happens will have major implications not just for Houma-Thibodaux but for all of Louisiana.
“Because Louisiana is the country’s second-largest producer of crude oil, if offshore crude is counted in the number, movements in oil prices can often dramatically impact the state, as Louisiana has learned with a vengeance since late 2014,” Scott says in the report. “The huge decline in oil prices from late 2014 through much of 2017 hammered Louisiana’s oil patch so hard that it sent the state into a 28-month recession and a loss of 23,300 jobs (-1.2 percent). Louisiana desperately needs oil prices to both rise and stay high for an extended period for a drilling recovery in the Gulf of Mexico and a revival of the state’s oil-centered metropolitan areas.”
-- Executive Editor Keith Magill can be reached at 857-2201 or keith.magill@houmatoday.com.
Congratulations to Fletcher Technical Community College for being ranked #2 on the list! Such an asset to the community!
NEW ORLEANS — With back-to-school season upon us and a year of community college nearly three times less expensive than a year at a public four-year college, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2018’s Best & Worst Community Colleges, coupled with its state-by-state ranking of the Best & Worst Community-College Systems.
To determine where students can receive the best education at the cheapest rates, WalletHub compared 715 community colleges across 17 key indicators of cost and quality. The data set ranges from the cost of in-state tuition and fees to student-faculty ratio to graduation rate.
In Louisiana, community colleges ranked as follows:
Houma company to build new tugboat
A Houma-based shipyard said it’s joining forces with a New Orleans company to build the most powerful ship-assisting tugboat on the Mississippi River.
Main Iron Works announced last week it’s partnering with the New Orleans-based Bisso Towboat Inc. to build its 12th tugboat.
Bisso Towboat Inc. awarded the contract earlier this summer to Main Iron Works with plans to build a new 100-foot, 6,008-horsepower, Tier 4-compliant ASD tractor tug.
Tier 4 is a set of emissions requirements established by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce emissions.
Construction of the vessel will begin later in the season with a projected completion date of fall 2019, the company said.
Scott Slatten, Bisso’s president, said the new tugboat will have a similar structure to the recently built vessel, the Liz Healy.
“It will be very similar structurally and from a profile to our last new build, Liz Healy, as the vast majority of the changes will be in the engine room for the SCR system and larger Z-drives and a larger bow winch and bow staple to accommodate the increased horsepower/bollard pull,” Slatten said. “Beyond that, we were able to pretty much use our existing design with some minor changes in tankage and hull and the above.”
Main Iron Works owner Arlen “Benny” Cenac Jr. said the new tugboat will be first of its kind for the company.
“We are proud to partner with Bisso as they build the most powerful ship-assist tug on the Mississippi River,” Cenac said. “This is an opportunity we are privileged to be a part of. It’s our 12th build for them and we look forward to many more. This is our first Tier 4 boat, and it’s always such a pleasure to work with Bisso, a longtime customer of Main Iron Works.”
Founded in 1947, Main Iron Works specializes in the building, repair and repowering of marine vessels and barges.
--Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 857-2202 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter@DanVCopp.
Houma and Thibodaux among first certified as retirement communities in state
Houma and Thibodaux are two of the first cities in Louisiana to be officially designated as retirement communities by the state tourism commission.
The designations were awarded this week at the annual Lt. Governor’s Travel Summit in Lake Charles.
“Through a competitive and selective application process, these communities, including Thibodaux, will now receive state-level marketing support, networking opportunities and possible grant funding to help us grow our brand moving forward,” Thibodaux officials said Thursday.
Other cities now included in the program are Lafayette, Lake Charles, Natchitoches, Ruston and Lincoln Parish, Toledo Bend and Sabine Parish, and Shreveport-Bossier City.
Each was chosen under a competitive application process through the Encore Louisiana Commission, which reviewed applications for several months. It eventually selected the eight cities and parishes “that are now certified and focused on bringing retirees to enjoy their ‘encore’ at life,” the website states.
Under the new program, each retirement community has detailed retirement information on the state tourism website, LouisianaTravel.com.
Houma-Terrebonne was selected for its small town charm and easy access to city living in New Orleans. The area’s many outdoor activities, festivals, music and food are all boasted by the state.
“This specific designation was a great opportunity for both Houma Travel and (Terrebonne Economic Development Authority) to work together on a project that has an effect on both economic development and tourism,” Houma Travel Assistant Director Joey Pierce said.
Terrebonne has a wide demographic range, seeing many natives of the area stay through retirement, while newcomers are constantly flowing in especially as the oil and gas industry rebounds, he said.
“If you are born here, you’re going to want to stay here,” Pierce said. “There are a lot of intrinsic qualities people of this area love.”
Promoting the parish as a retirement community will not only help tourism by encouraging potential retirees to visit before settling down, it could also spark growth in the housing and job markets, he said.
About 20 miles north of Houma, Thibodaux also boasts a robust retirement community.
“Among the many factors that make Thibodaux an ideal retirement community are its fair taxes, recreational opportunities and healthcare facilities, which make for a second-to-none experience for all those who call this city their home,” the website states. It also notes the state-of-the-art Wellness Center at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, the many festivals and events, and the work in the historic district by Thibodaux Main Street.
Staff Writer Julia Arenstam can be reached at 448-7636 or julia.arenstam@houmatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at@JuliaArenstam.
