New Orleans Career Center

What New Orleans Career Center does

New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) is a Louisiana-based nonprofit workforce development organization founded in 2017 that delivers tuition-free career and technical education to both public high school students and adult learners in five industry sectors — Healthcare, Building Trades, Engineering, Culinary Arts/Hospitality, and Digital Production/IT. Programming runs through a purpose-built 143,000 sq ft LEED-certified facility at 1331 Kerlerec Street in the Treme neighborhood (renovated in 2023 from the former McDonogh 35 High School), with full-cycle infrastructure including clinical and hospital simulation labs, an ambulance bay, CAD labs, maker space, commercial kitchen, and an outdoor construction collaboration yard. The curriculum is co-designed with employer partners, includes industry-recognized certifications (e.g., NHA-accredited allied health certifications, NCCER levels for trades), and integrates dual-enrollment college credit through University of New Orleans, Nunez Community College, and Delgado. Specialized pathways include the LPN Apprenticeship (in partnership with Delgado and Ochsner Health, the only such program in New Orleans) and an earn-to-learn EMT track paying $17.58/hour during training. Since 2018, NOCC reports training more than 2,800 New Orleanians, with 89% of high school testers earning industry credentials in 2024 and 86% placement in the 2025 Pharmacy Tech cohort. \n\nNOCC is funded entirely through grants, foundation contributions, and corporate donations — there are no tuition or fee-based revenue streams. Disclosed funding sources include a $1.28M U.S. Department of Labor grant via Delta Regional Authority (2022), a $0.1M donation from Boh Bros. Construction (2023), $0.5M in City of New Orleans ARPA funds (2024), a $4M DOL/NOLA LEADS apprenticeship grant (September 2024), and grants from NBA Foundation (April 2025), Impact 59/Entergy, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Capital One, Blue Cross Blue Shield, JPMorgan Chase, Hilton Conrad, and the Palmisano Foundation. \n\nGo-to-market operates through two distinct funnels: high school recruitment via partner Orleans Parish public schools (22 schools, reaching 520+ students in 2024) and adult recruitment through community partners (Clover, Goodwill, Total Community Action, Urban League of LA) and online interest forms. Employer demand generation runs through direct relationships with 24+ construction companies, Ochsner Health, LCMC Health, New Orleans EMS, Delgado, Tulane, University of New Orleans, the National Healthcareer Association, the Louisiana Restaurant Association, and ACE Mentor Program, with major employers co-funding expansion via recruitment and apprenticeship sponsorships. Staff has doubled to 42 over the past two years, and the organization is governed by an independent board under founding CEO Claire Jecklin.

Name

New Orleans Career Center

Legal name

New Orleans Career Center

Website

https://nolacc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) is a New Orleans-based nonprofit that delivers tuition-free career and technical training to high school students and adults across healthcare, building trades, engineering, culinary, and digital media. Programs are grant-funded and co-designed with major employer partners including Ochsner Health, LCMC, and 24+ construction firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Training and Technical Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades Licensure Prep (EDAAANAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Skilled Trades, Safety & Compliance Certification Prep (OSHA, HAZMAT, welding, electrical, HVAC) (EDANAIAM), Nursing & Allied Health Certification Prep (CNA, EMT/Paramedic, Radiology, Sonography, PT/OT) (EDANAIAB), Food Safety, Sanitation & HACCP Training (EDAOAKAG), Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Career technical education
• Workforce training programs
• Industry credential training
• Apprenticeship programs
• Adult reskilling services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government and Foundation Grants: NOCC operates as a nonprofit funded primarily through grants from government agencies (Department of Labor, Delta Regional Authority) and foundations (Bloomberg Philanthropies, Capital One, Blue Cross Blue Shield, JPMorgan Chase, Hilton Conrad, etc.)
2. Corporate Donations: Funding from corporate partners including Boh Bros. Construction ($100,000 donation), The Palmisano Foundation, and other industry partners
3. Public Funding: City of New Orleans ARPA funding ($500,000 for economic mobility), federal grants from Department of Energy through Entergy partnership

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) is a nonprofit career and technical education provider that delivers tuition-free industry-aligned training to high school students and adults across five sectors: healthcare (medical assistant, patient care technician, pharmacy technician, CNA, LPN), building trades (electrical, welding, carpentry, HVAC), engineering/manufacturing (CAD, 3D modeling, prototyping), culinary arts/hospitality, and digital media/IT. Programs lead to industry-recognized certifications, dual-enrollment college credits, earn-to-learn paid apprenticeships, and direct employer hiring with guaranteed job placement upon completion.

Product overview

New Orleans Career Center (NOCC) is a workforce development organization offering a portfolio of career and technical education programs across five industry sectors: Healthcare, Building Trades, Engineering/Manufacturing, Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management, and Digital Production/IT. Programs serve both high school students (attending half-day at NOCC) and adults (18+), all provided tuition-free. The core programs include specialized training tracks such as the Healthcare Training Program with credentials for medical assistants, patient care technicians, pharmacy technicians, and licensed practical nurses; Building Trades covering electrical, welding, carpentry, and HVAC; Engineering & Manufacturing with CAD training (Autodesk Inventor, Revit) and dual enrollment with UNO; and Culinary Arts preparing students for restaurant and hospitality careers. Additional offerings include the Adult Rapid Reskill Program for career transitions, the LAUNCH Fifth-Year Extension Academy for recent graduates, and specialized pathways like the LPN Apprenticeship (in partnership with Delgado and Ochsner) and EMS Training (paid apprenticeship with New Orleans EMS).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Healthcare Training Program Career training for healthcare professions including Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Pharmacy Technician, Certified Nursing Assistant, and Licensed Practical Nurse. Includes industry certifications, clinical rotations at partner hospitals, and exam preparation through the National Healthcareer Association.
• Building Trades Training Career preparation in construction trades including Electrical, Welding, Carpentry, and HVAC, with hands-on labs using professional-grade tools. Trainees prepare for skilled roles in the construction sector with average starting wages of $24/hour.
• Engineering & Manufacturing Academy Technical training in engineering design, 3D modeling, CAD software (Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Revit), prototyping, and civil engineering/architecture. Includes dual-enrollment college credits with University of New Orleans (ENGR 1003, ENEE 1781).
• Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Academy Training for careers in culinary arts and hospitality, covering food service skills, baking and pastry, menu planning, and hospitality operations. Includes industry certifications (ServSafe), a commercial kitchen training environment, and field experiences with New Orleans restaurants.
• Digital Production/IT Pathway Career training in digital media, information technology, and cybersecurity fields.
• Adult Rapid Reskill Program Intensive retraining program for adults 18+ who have lost jobs, providing technical skills and professional credentials for career transitions, particularly into healthcare roles such as Patient Care Technician. Sponsored by employer partners including LCMC Health and Entergy.
• LAUNCH Extension Academy Year-long career preparation program for recent high school graduates, providing intensive training and employment pathway support after high school completion.
• LPN Apprenticeship Program Three-year Licensed Practical Nurse apprenticeship program developed with Delgado Charity School of Nursing and Ochsner Health. High school students begin training in 11th grade and complete the 36-month program to become Licensed Practical Nurses, completing coursework and clinical requirements equivalent to state-approved LPN programs.
• Emergency Medical Services Training Emergency Medical Technician training program developed in partnership with New Orleans EMS and EMS Corps, structured as a paid apprenticeship with earn-to-learn model at $17.58/hour during the 5-month training period. Nine graduates hired by New Orleans EMS to address the city's 14% workforce reduction since 2019.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of high school trainees who tested earned industry-based credentials in 2024
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Delgado Charity School of NursingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2022NOCC partners with Delgado to offer LPN Apprenticeship program - the only program of its kind in New Orleans. High school students begin training in 11th grade and complete 36-month program to become Licensed Practical Nurses. Delgado provides nursing coursework and clinical requirements equivalent to state-approved LPN programs.
• Ochsner HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare partner providing clinical rotation sites, co-designing healthcare curricula, sponsoring Adult Rapid Reskill cohorts, hiring NOCC graduates, and co-investing in workforce development ($20M investment in Delgado Ochsner Center for Nursing and Allied Health). Ochsner has hired 30+ NOCC trainees including first LPN Apprenticeship cohort.
• LCMC HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner that sponsors Adult Rapid Reskill program cohorts for Patient Care Technician training. Includes formal workforce development partnership in annual planning and budgeting.
• ACE Mentor Program of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationally recognized program connecting NOCC trainees with professionals in architecture, construction, and engineering. Trainees work alongside mentors on real-world design challenges addressing community needs, including historic building repurposing and community center design projects.
• Louisiana Restaurant AssociationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides Registered Apprenticeship opportunities for NOCC Culinary Arts graduates. Accepted first cohort of 6 apprentices including Brianna Blunt, Aniya Bailey-Kelly placed at restaurants including Zea and Saba.
• RNGD (Palmisano Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneral contracting company provides ACE mentors, hired graduates Girod County and Sheldon Stocks. Project Manager Max Murret leads ACE Mentor involvement. RNGD has been involved in ACE Mentorship program at NOCC for 4+ years.
• New Orleans EMScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped first-of-its-kind EMT program in partnership with NOCC and EMS Corps. NOCC trainees are paid $17.58/hr during 5-month training (earn-to-learn model). 9 graduates hired to address city's 14% workforce reduction since 2019.
• University of New Orleans College of EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides dual enrollment courses for NOCC Engineering trainees including ENGR 1003 (Introduction to Engineering) and ENEE 1781 (Introduction to Engineering Design & Graphics). College credits transferable to students' college of choice.
• Nunez Community CollegesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides college credits and Culinary Arts Certificate of Technical Studies for NOCC culinary trainees. Also offers Aerospace Manufacturing Technology pathway exposure through NASA Michoud facility visits.
• Broadmoor ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilt NOCC's custom 143,000 sq ft facility. Provides ACE mentors and industry guidance. Led construction of the purpose-built workforce training center.
• SCNZ ArchitectssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigned NOCC's custom facility and provided mentor architect (Alex Sixt-Hresko) for tiny house project. Principal Christian Rodriguez serves on NOCC board.
• Thrive New OrleanscoreOthersSocial enterprise workforce development partner. Received NOCC-built 288 sq ft tiny house for transitional housing. Provides temporary housing for participants in workforce training program.
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides educational materials and accredited, industry-recognized certification exams for healthcare programs. More than 160 NOCC healthcare trainees certified as medical assistants and patient care technicians in 2023 alone.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Year Up: National nonprofit workforce-development organization providing free technical and professional training to young adults from low-income communities, with strong employer-hire pipelines — directly comparable to NOCC's adult training and employer-partnership model.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing free IT and cybersecurity training to underemployed adults, with employer-funded tuition and direct-hire pipelines. Comparable in funding model (grants + employer sponsorships) and free-to-trainee delivery, though focused on tech rather than multi-trade.
• NPower: Nonprofit offering free technology training and job placement to underserved adults, with employer partnerships (similar to NOCC's earn-to-learn/employer-hire model) — comparable on the digital-media/IT pathway and similar funder mix of foundations and corporate sponsors.

Broad incumbents

• Job Corps: Federal residential career-training program for low-income youth offering free technical training in skilled trades, healthcare, and IT with industry credentials. Comparable on the youth-focused, free, multi-trade, credential-driven model, but federally operated and national in scale.
• Goodwill Industries International: Large nonprofit with workforce-development programs (including in New Orleans) that trains adults for entry-level jobs across multiple industries — a much broader, established player with overlapping mission but less specialized CTE focus than NOCC.

Others

• Apprenticeship Carolina / ApprenticeshipUSA: Federal/state-sponsored apprenticeship intermediary funding registered apprenticeships in skilled trades and healthcare — comparable in apprenticeship model to NOCC's NOLA LEADS DOL-funded apprenticeship expansion, though not a direct operating peer.
• National Skills Coalition: National advocacy organization advancing federal investment in workforce development and skills training — adjacent to NOCC's funding and policy ecosystem, and representative of the broader CTE advocacy space that shapes NOCC's federal-grant pipeline.

Regional players

• Nunez Community College: Louisiana community college that partners with NOCC on culinary certificates and aerospace-manufacturing exposure. Comparable as a regional public two-year institution offering short-form technical credentials in the same geography.
• Delgado Community College: New Orleans-based two-year public college offering technical and allied-health programs — NOCC's LPN Apprenticeship is co-delivered with Delgado's Charity School of Nursing. Comparable on healthcare and trades training in the same geography, but Delgado charges tuition and offers degree credentials.

Emerging players

• YouthBuild USA: National nonprofit providing construction-trades training and GED pathways to low-income youth — directly comparable to NOCC's Building Trades track and similar young-adult underserved-population focus, though construction-only.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/followNOCC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@neworleanscareercenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/follownocc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/follownocc/posts/?feedView=all
• Instagraminstagram.com/new_orleans_career_center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Orleans Career Center