Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser | Special to BIZ
Louisiana has an opportunity to compete for thousands of high-paying jobs in one of the fastest-growing industries in the world: aerospace.
While aerospace may be receiving more headlines today, this is not a new conversation for Louisiana. Since 2022, we have worked with aerospace leaders, built workforce partnerships, and helped position Louisiana to compete for the investment and jobs now making front-page news.
At the second National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) Aerospace Committee meeting, we heard from the Federal Aviation Administration, Space Foundation, the Advanced Air Mobility Multi-State Collaborative, and higher education institutions. We also met with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and his team. The common theme was clear: workforce needs.
Louisiana is uniquely positioned to capitalize on aerospace industry growth. We already have a strong manufacturing base, world-class energy expertise, strategic military assets, growing educational partnerships, and a workforce eager to learn new skills. But this opportunity did not appear overnight.
Four years ago, I attended a meeting in Alaska and learned how aerospace technology intersects with issues deeply important to Louisiana, from hurricane forecasting and coastal restoration to national defense and advanced manufacturing. I saw what this industry could bring to our state which led to me becoming chairman of that group. I hosted their meeting in Louisiana during my term in 2024 and welcomed elected leaders and industry professionals from across the country to New Orleans. Attendees toured the toured NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and heard from leading experts about the future of the space industry.
This inspired me to ask the NLGA to help advance this industry in the states, so we created the Committee. Each lieutenant governor appointed two advisors from their state. Louisiana’s delegation included Dr. Tina Tinney of Nunez Community College and a representative from Louisiana Economic Development. Together, we highlighted Louisiana’s growing workforce efforts, including Nunez’s Aerospace Manufacturing Technology Program, which has awarded 330+ credentials for high-demand, high-skill careers. These programs provide Louisianans with pathways to well-paying jobs without relocation or years of additional education.
Nunez Community College is seeking $9.2 million to renovate a donated building and expand training capacity. These are the kinds of investments Louisiana must support to remain competitive in aerospace and show the industry that we will have the workforce they need.
Many of the issues discussed by the committee were reflected in legislation passed this year to create a stronger business and legal environment for aerospace companies in Louisiana. Reports suggest that SpaceX is already paying attention.
I’m pleased to see Louisiana creating policies to attract aerospace investment and help our workforce, but tax incentives and grants alone will not determine our success. Workforce availability will play a major role. States, like Alabama, that train students as early as high school in aerospace manufacturing techniques are dominating the industry.
The aerospace, aviation, and defense industries are poised to create thousands of highly skilled, high-paying jobs in the coming years. States benefiting the most will be those providing the trained workers aerospace employers need.
These opportunities extend beyond engineers, astronauts, and pilots. Current projections estimate the country will need an additional 1.5 million civil aviation professionals, 400,000 maintenance technicians, and 71,000 air traffic controllers over the next decade. Additional demand will exist in administration, communications, marketing, logistics, and related fields.
We need our Legislature to support policies and investments that attract these businesses and help our citizens gain the skills to claim these jobs. The aerospace industry is growing rapidly. Louisiana’s challenge is not whether the opportunity exists but whether we can seize it.