As Louisiana welcomes record levels of investment, Baton Rouge Community College Chancellor Willie Smith says the state’s economic future will hinge on whether its workforce pipeline can keep pace. Speaking Wednesday to the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge, Smith framed BRCC as central to that effort, saying community colleges will play an increasingly critical role in preparing students for high-demand careers tied to the state’s expanding industrial economy. “This is our moment. … We have over $100 billion in private-sector investment. What that means to me is thousands of new jobs, higher wages and increased competition for talent,” Smith said. Under Smith’s leadership, BRCC has increasingly emphasized workforce-aligned credentials, technical education and dual enrollment programs designed to move students into the labor force more quickly. The college now serves more than 18,000 students and has seen enrollment grow by more than 56% since 2018, according to Smith. Smith argued that today’s students are largely constrained by “two fundamental issues”: time and money. That means shorter-term, less-expensive workforce credential and technical certification programs are becoming more attractive than traditional four-year degree pathways for many students. A major piece of BRCC’s strategy has been the rapid expansion of dual enrollment programs with K-12 school systems across the state. Smith said BRCC has grown dual enrollment participation from roughly 400 students when he arrived at the college in 2019 to about 3,000 students today. Just last week, BRCC celebrated more than 200 high school students who graduated with both their high school diplomas and associate degrees or technical credentials through the college’s dual enrollment partnerships, Smith said. “When you take a high school student who dual enrolls and graduates with a high school diploma and an associate degree or a technical credential, that’s a game changer for that family,” Smith said. Smith closed his address by asking for additional support for BRCC, saying faculty and staff are struggling to keep pace with rising enrollment demand. Notably, he asked the audience of Rotarians to leverage their connections to help advocate for an increase in state appropriations to the college. “Our faculty and staff remind me every day that they’re burned out,” Smith said. “And yet we still need to meet the demands of our students. … We need your advocacy.” Term limits Would you support an amendment prohibiting governors from returning to office after two elected terms even if the terms are nonconsecutive? Yes No Not sure Δ ...read more read less