The Lion's Roundtable (Guest: Bridget LaBorde)
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Todd Delaney:Discussing topics of interest to the university, Hammond, and the surrounding communities, this is the Lions Roundtable. Now, here's your host, Doctor. Amber Narro.
Amber Narro:Good day, good day. This is Amber Narro on the Lion ninety point nine FM. I'm at the Lion's Roundtable with my good friend, Bridget Laborde.
Bridget Laborde:Good morning.
Amber Narro:I feel like it's
Bridget Laborde:been forever since I've been here.
Amber Narro:I know because you sent to other people. You you sent your your some lovely sidekicks that you have
Bridget Laborde:in Our chancellor came
Amber Narro:last, I believe. Yes. So I'm I'm so excited to have talked to him. What a great doctor Carlson is fantastic. So he really is.
Amber Narro:He is. So he had some big shoes to fill as doctor Wainwright left North Shore Community College and came over to us. Thank you very much because we have loved having him. Loved having him here too. Now you're moving over.
Amber Narro:Now doctor Carlson has moved into that spot and he is just going with I learned so much about him the last time we talked and if you guys didn't miss that interview on the Lions Roundtable, you need to go back to my podcast. You can find it anywhere and download that and listen to all of his experience and what he's bringing. Y'all, it's exciting times for education and change
Bridget Laborde:It's for her And he'll be back. We'll get him back. I know.
Amber Narro:Y'all should come together.
Bridget Laborde:That would blow my mind.
Amber Narro:Oh, we will. We'll do that. That would be awesome.
Bridget Laborde:I will plan that for sure.
Amber Narro:That would be awesome. A lot of fun. So welcome this morning. Bridgette is with North Shore Technical Community College. Lots of programming going on, and she tells me this morning because we got to Gavin before this started this morning.
Amber Narro:First And of all, before we start talking about the partnerships that you guys have at North Shore Technical Community College, Bridget, thank you for the lovely, lovely remarks you had at miss Joycelyn Lee's funeral just a couple of weeks ago. Joycelyn Lee was a long time community service, just absolutely servant to Tangeba Ho Parish and a friend to everybody that she met and an absolute wonderful just it's an awesome loss for our area, but she lived an amazing full life and just an amazing I mean, I thought I was her favorite and then everybody else was talking and I was like, that gum. You know, she shared it with everybody. I know. I know.
Amber Narro:I didn't feel so special after it was over with.
Bridget Laborde:She made us all feel special. Yes. It all feel like her favorite, and an incredible person. It's gonna be incredibly missed. You know, I you know, like I shared at her services, I was so blessed to have met her twelve years ago when we were searching for a director of our pharmacy technician program.
Bridget Laborde:We had not had a pharmacy technician accredited program ever, and we were there. Thought that would be a great addition to our health sciences programming. Talked to doctor Beth Moulds. Most of us know doctor Moulds. And told her where we are and what our needs were.
Bridget Laborde:And she says, I've got the right person for you. And met miss Joycelyn Lee shortly thereafter that meeting, and I knew from the moment that I met her that she was a special person and that she was the right person for the job. And within a very, very short eight months, we reached the status of having an accreditation visit. And she was full force ahead and brought our colleges our college to the point of a very first accredited pharmacy technician program. And but through that, I learned so much from her.
Bridget Laborde:I, of course, became, you know, such a friendship that we developed, and I adored her tremendously, adored her family. And, you know, she always said she had so much to give. I have so much to give. You know, she faced multiple health challenges for a number of years, and nothing would stop her because she said I have so much to give and
Amber Narro:And she worked up until she was 69, right, when she passed. Yeah. And she worked up until just I'm when I met her, she was still working. So and that was only just a couple of years ago and
Bridget Laborde:she built that meet up that long? Well, she actually retired a year ago. Believe it or not, she actually retired from her college a year ago. Well, less than a year ago because it was it was the middle of the spring semester. But what a legacy Because
Amber Narro:she was ill.
Bridget Laborde:Yes. So What a legacy she left. And, you know, I I do want to let everyone know that she was the very first African American female pharmacist in Tangible Hood Parish. I mean, gosh, she started a legacy, you know, in her early years in this parish. And then, you know, to end her at the end of her life to train the next generation of of those in the pharmacy industry is incredible.
Bridget Laborde:So it was a beautiful service. Oh, it was amazing. Every every part of it was absolutely beautiful. Right. And and just and I know this is not official.
Bridget Laborde:We can
Amber Narro:talk about her the whole time. I know. I know.
Bridget Laborde:This is not official yet, but because she was the very first person who the and the one that was instrumental in bringing pharmacy technician program to our college, Hammond campus has a classroom and a lab that was designed by her that will be named the Joycelyn Lee
Amber Narro:Of course.
Bridget Laborde:Course it will. Program.
Amber Narro:Because that is how North Shore Technical Community College is. We recognize and we appreciate and we love the people in our community who helped build us up. On a personal note, I sat right next to miss Joycelyn at the North Shore North Oaks Board of Commissioners table every month, and I can tell you this that out loud and in front of everybody, she was a community advocate and I could hear her under her breath as well while we were sitting at the table saying things like, how is this gonna affect this person? Just kinda talking to herself while she was making decisions and really being intentional with her vote and always, a 100% of the time, focusing on the community and how it's going to impact small communities as well as the ones that she lives. And you know, it's so funny when I first got on the board, I thought we were we were talking our way through some decisions in the very early time in a small pocket of Tangepole Parish, and my mind went, okay, well she must be from that area representing that area.
Amber Narro:No ma'am. She was thinking about the people in that area but that is not where she lived so I had to be quickly educated where she lived and realize that she was thinking about every person, not just her people. And and to learn from that early on from from my time sitting around that table is that even though you're representing your small pocket, don't forget that it's everybody else too and those are great lessons
Bridget Laborde:She early truly had a world view.
Amber Narro:Yes.
Bridget Laborde:She really did. You know, it wasn't just me and my own, but it was who who is everyone that I can help? Because, you know, we did expand our pharmacy technician program out to the our campus in Bogalusa Right. And out to our campus in Greensburg. And although she was from Hammond, she understood the rural areas and their needs.
Amber Narro:Mhmm.
Bridget Laborde:And when, you know, we talked to her about expanding, there was no doubt and no hesitancy at all. She's like, okay. What do we need to do next? Right. Well, she didn't ask us.
Bridget Laborde:She knew what to do next. Right? Mhmm. But she did have to lean on the campus deans at that time to provide space and guidance, you know, out in those areas. And so we're just so very proud and, of course, you know, we will miss her dearly.
Bridget Laborde:My heart. Her daughter came to the Hammond campus I got to meet her. This past week and, you know, brought some things that she found in miss Lee's house for the pharmacy tech program. And it was like little trinkets and gifts, you know, for that she obviously gave to students. So she brought that out to the campus, and we were also able to tell her that we were naming the pharmacy lab in honor of miss Lee.
Amber Narro:And you know what? She leaves a legacy in her daughter as well. You saw that. Yes. Uh-huh.
Amber Narro:And because she was able to speak, her son was able to speak, that was lovely, and I met her for the first time on that day. She gives true hugs to strangers. Like, she hugged me like we have known each other forever and I was like, oh, thank you miss Joycelyn
Bridget Laborde:for leaving this Yes.
Amber Narro:And passing this through Oh, yeah. And leaving this on this earth for us.
Bridget Laborde:She is definitely gonna live on, you know, through Sierra and Trey and Yes. Because she loved her children. You know, they're they're they didn't stay here, you know, in Louisiana. They're in California and in Texas. But but, look, miss Lee would travel to see them, and they would come home often, and her children were her world.
Bridget Laborde:And and her students became her world as well. Mhmm. You probably saw some of her current students that were there at the services, and, yeah, that was just real special to her family to see them there.
Amber Narro:Indeed. And we can talk about her all day. I know. I definitely yes. And I and we appreciate you, miss Joycelyn, and thank you to her family for letting us all borrow her because, oh my gosh, what an impact.
Amber Narro:Yes. Speaking Yes. Of that impact at North Shore Technical Community College, partnerships. Oh, gosh. Segue into that.
Bridget Laborde:Perfect segue. You know, and and you and I have talked about partnerships since we first started interviewing on on a regular basis. And I wanna give a huge shout out to Tangipaho Parish Library.
Amber Narro:Oh. Okay.
Bridget Laborde:So you may wonder why are we partnering with them. We have had a partnership with them for a couple years now through their Kentwood branch. Okay. And we've held a duo.
Amber Narro:I heard that was fancy now. Uh-huh.
Bridget Laborde:Yes. That's a fancy pants library
Amber Narro:up there. I have not been yet, but I have heard all about it.
Bridget Laborde:Yes. It is. And we get to use that two nights a week for our adult education program. Go on. Okay?
Bridget Laborde:So that's for those individuals who are seeking their high school equivalency. Right? And at North Shore, you know, we have a footprint across across the North Shore, our college does, at five campuses, multiple sites and locations. So we've added the Tangible Parish Library branches to our footprint. Kentwood being one, and we're able to go out and reach those individuals where they live.
Bridget Laborde:Right? So we're in the process of growing that program there. We met with the wonderful mayor Gordon of Kentwood this past week.
Amber Narro:She's a delight. Isn't she? I didn't know who she was when I was in an event one day and she introduced herself to me and she was so she is such a quiet presence but an awesome represent representative of that area.
Bridget Laborde:Yeah. So what we learned, I don't know if you know this, but she grew up there in Kentwood. Yes. Went to Kentwood High School when it was finally desegregated. Right?
Bridget Laborde:She played sports there, basketball, and got an offer to go
Amber Narro:to beautiful tall woman. I know. I know. I wasn't surprised. No.
Amber Narro:Basketball doesn't surprise me.
Bridget Laborde:And she got an offer to go out of state to play basketball. She declined because her brother said that she could not go that far, and she ended up, you know, getting an education degree. Taught there at Kentwood High School, coached there at Kentwood High School, and retired, you know, after thirty I can't remember the exact number of years, but it was thirty something years. And then I said, my goodness. What a love you have for this community of Kentwood.
Bridget Laborde:And for you to be here at the helm of leading this community, how beautiful is that? So then when we started talking to her about bringing an this opportunity out to her residence of that city and the, you know, neighborhoods and communities surrounding Kentwood, she was all in. She says, you you tell me what I need to you get me a flyer, you get me information, I'm going to the churches. I'm going to talk to people, and we will make sure we fill up that class because we have a seat for 15. And if we do add two more nights a week, then that's 15 more.
Bridget Laborde:She said, I can we can fill those all of those seats up.
Amber Narro:And that is changing Kentwood because let me just, we we want the stat out there, and I repeat this as many times as I get an opportunity to. There are over 16,000 people in this parish who have the age, we'll just say that, but don't have the high school credential.
Bridget Laborde:That's right. And That's and I did promise her that I would get the breakdown per city or municipality. And my friends at the Small Business Development Center where my office is, they're working on that research. So I will have, like, hopefully, numbers that are more updated because those were 20 that's 16,000 is twenty twenty three data.
Amber Narro:Right? And it's parish wide. So you haven't broken that down by city yet. Yeah.
Bridget Laborde:It down.
Amber Narro:Yeah. Let's talk those stats next time you come or when whenever those are available to I don't wanna rush people.
Bridget Laborde:I will certainly share that. So I told promised mayor Gordon that I would share that with her. And I said, let's work together. Let's partner together to reduce these numbers.
Amber Narro:Yes.
Bridget Laborde:And not just reduce numbers and affect data, but let's affect families. Let's let's impact the next generation. Let's change the trajectory of families.
Amber Narro:Education is contagious. It is. It is contagious.
Bridget Laborde:So I'm excited about that. Increasing and expanding, you know, that footprint there in Kentwood and having more individuals in that adult ed program.
Amber Narro:Because some of those students will be not only first generation high school graduates, but they will turn into first generation college
Bridget Laborde:Oh, yeah.
Amber Narro:University. Absolutely. So, yes, we will we will have
Bridget Laborde:those opportunities. We want you. We want you people. Yes. We do.
Bridget Laborde:Okay. So the brand new partnership with Tangible Library is at the Ameet branch. So we were thinking a little bit, like, I like I don't like to say thinking outside the box, like, because I don't want there to be a box. But we were being creative and said, you know, let's try and, actually, it was, I think, Barry and Spencer at the library. Was maybe their idea.
Bridget Laborde:Barry Bradford. Yeah. And they said, well, how about a Saturday class? Okay. Library is open on Saturday.
Bridget Laborde:Why not? We have instructors. We're so grateful for our some of our full time instructors who teach in various programs and some staff that have stepped up and agreed to teach in adult ed. So our medical assistant instructor, Pam Braid, wanna give her a shout out at our Greensburg campus. She agreed to teach adult ed on Saturdays at the Tangipaho Library.
Bridget Laborde:Two weeks ago, we had our very first what was orientation in the very first class. I'm pleased to say we have eight individuals, eight courageous and brave individuals
Amber Narro:Who will change their family tree.
Bridget Laborde:Thank you
Amber Narro:very much.
Bridget Laborde:Yes. Yes. So that is our enrollment on Saturdays at the Abe branch of the Tangipao Parish Library, and we are thrilled to have those folks there. We're gonna cheer them on. We're gonna support them because unlike our other programs, our other adult ed classes, they're seven week sessions.
Bridget Laborde:The Saturday session at the Ameet branch of the library is fourteen weeks. So that's a longer span. So we feel we need to just provide some wraparound love, you know, to these individuals that are
Amber Narro:to be a taxpayer right now, man. This is your tax dollars at work, y'all.
Bridget Laborde:Absolutely. Because and I'm glad you brought up that point because individuals who attend our adult education program, they do not pay to enroll in those classes. Bridgette?
Amber Narro:You know, let's just talk for a minute about anybody who's like, well, I don't wanna pay for that. Let me tell you what, you are paying for it if you're not. Okay? Because this education is proven to reduce poverty in the area, so we are making taxpayers rather than people who are dependent on government subsidies for their lives. It also helps reduce crime.
Amber Narro:It also reduces So rather than paying for crime. Let's pay for them to get an education and be awesome members of our community. This solves lots of problems, people. It does. So this is your tax dollars at I love this.
Amber Narro:This is so
Bridget Laborde:awesome. It is so it truly is so awesome and, you know, I I am so so proud and, you know, we want we wanna replicate this to our neighboring parishes. I heard through
Amber Narro:the grapevine, LaRonja got a new library. They did. Wonder. I'm just putting it out there.
Bridget Laborde:Well, know, I'm gonna I'm a be honest. Mister Barry Bradford has just welcomed us with open arms. Of course he has.
Amber Narro:That's what he does.
Bridget Laborde:He has never said no and mayor Gordon in Kentwood this week said she loves mister Barry Bradford because he truly never says no. And I said, okay. Well, I hope I'm not the one that he says no to because I'm gonna just bother him, I think, with all of our requests Because what we wanna do as far as expanding our partnership with the library is to hold interest meetings, adult education interest meetings at each of their locations from the north end of the parish to the South end of the parish and all in between. So that's coming because we feel like, again, we have to go where the people are. Right?
Bridget Laborde:And, yeah, we're gonna hold interest meetings at our campuses, but these libraries are in the neighborhoods where individuals can easily have access. So we want them to yeah. LaRonja being one of them. We want them to be able to come and hear about the opportunity. What does adult education look like to to them.
Bridget Laborde:You know, what is life gonna look like while they're working to earn their high school equivalency diploma? So stay tuned. That that is coming.
Amber Narro:Love it.
Bridget Laborde:So we'll we'll be promoting that and and making everyone aware Thank you. Of that. And so we just encourage everybody to to truly seize this opportunity. If you're
Amber Narro:right now and you know somebody in this parish who does not have a high school education or the equivalency so that they can move into different jobs and different educational opportunities, hear us say that it's coming to a library near you. Yeah.
Bridget Laborde:Yes. I love that. I love Coming
Amber Narro:to a library near you.
Bridget Laborde:Start asking the questions.
Amber Narro:Let's get it rolling.
Bridget Laborde:And when they come to us in our adult education program, we will talk to them about the opportunities at our college, the opportunities here at Southeastern, the opportunities in the workplace, the opportunities for short term training. We want them to know all the things to help them make a decision because I can tell you that once that individual earns that high school equivalency diploma, it truly sets them at a place where they know they can do anything.
Amber Narro:Can't talk about it enough. Yeah. So and you just I mean, you think about the the 17 and 18 year olds walking across the stage, how excited they are when they get their high school diploma. They're they're out of there. They're looking at the next step of their life.
Amber Narro:That is the same excitement that somebody who is 47, 57, 77 can have because they know that they are are changing their family tree. The new expectation has arrived. And sorry generations ahead of you, but you have got to come up and you've got to raise that bar just like your grandparents did and your parents did.
Bridget Laborde:And they're graduating at the university center on a big stage
Amber Narro:Love it.
Bridget Laborde:With the the rest of our graduates who are completing, you know, the technical diplomas and the associate's degrees.
Amber Narro:Yes.
Bridget Laborde:It it's a wonderful celebration. Yes. Yeah. So, okay. So more partnership opportunities here.
Amber Narro:This is
Bridget Laborde:our theme today. We what's that?
Amber Narro:That's our theme.
Bridget Laborde:That's right. That's our that's our theme for the for most of this today. Each year, we have a chancellor's breakfast. And that chancellor's breakfast, we have expanded that to include three of three of our areas that we serve on the North Shore. Of course, there's one here in Hammond coming up on March 27 and it's gonna be out at Lynn Haven and
Amber Narro:What a beautiful facility that is. Talk about a community partnership for real. Oh, no. I mean, what it does for the women Yes. In our area is amazing.
Bridget Laborde:It is incredible. So we're holding our chancellor's breakfast there and those breakfasts are designed to honor scholarship recipients. Mhmm. And this year, we are presenting almost 80 scholarships at, you know, a month to three breakfasts. Okay?
Bridget Laborde:80 scholarships. Yeah. And these scholarships range from a scholarship to a student who's in the automotive program to a scholarship to a student who is in the health care program, and all in between. So we still have sponsorships available, you know, for in for companies or individuals to partner with us to sponsor a table.
Amber Narro:I wanna say that I've attended one of these things before and it was at a smaller venue. And I wonder because we're given 80 scholarships, is that because we're getting bigger?
Bridget Laborde:Yes. Very, very, very much so. We So you had to move out
Amber Narro:of your smaller location so you can have enough space to award all these awesome people?
Bridget Laborde:Oh, yeah. Well, because come too. Right? We used to have yeah. Yeah.
Bridget Laborde:Yeah. It's a breakfast, and then there I think one of the other areas, maybe it's a scholarship lunch. But in Hammond, it's a scholarship chancellor's breakfast. Okay? But we've had to we used to have one Right.
Bridget Laborde:For the entire North Shore. Now we have three because, you know, we, you know, the the the location can't accommodate as many in just one location. So oh, yeah. I mean, it it's so exciting. And to know that there's eighty eighty individuals who are who are gonna be impacted with scholarship dollars to continue their education.
Bridget Laborde:Crazy. That's incredible. So, of course, there are sponsorships that we are are seeking for these breakfasts. I think the one in Saint Tammany Parish is sold out. But for Hammond Tangible Parish, it's not sold out yet, but let's sell it out.
Bridget Laborde:Right? Yeah. I'm just inviting individuals to and and companies to partner with us to celebrate these individuals at this chancellor's scholarship breakfast. If anyone is interested, miss Mary Slaser, who is our executive director of our college foundation, can be reached at five four 05:12 eighty four. 545-1284, and she's waiting by the phone.
Bridget Laborde:You know, I told her I was coming today, and we were gonna be talking about some of our partnerships. And what a beautiful opportunity to partner with us for the chancellor scholarship breakfast. And you get to yeah. Obviously, you can attend with family members or you can attend with those individuals who work for your company. And you get to hear the stories, you know, of why the scholarship is a scholarship and why it's being awarded and why that individual that student was chosen for the scholarship.
Bridget Laborde:So bring your tissues because there are a bit of, you know, tears of joy and just, you know, your heart's touched by the incredible stories. So it's gonna be a great time. So March is is packed with lots of things for our college and, you know, the week of the chancellor's breakfasts kinda puts a cap on on March and right before we go out for spring break.
Amber Narro:Love it. Thank you so much. Thank you for that. Thank you. Alright.
Amber Narro:So let's let's finish up here by thanking some people who are our sponsors, who are in our area, who are really kinda pouring into the educational opportunities here. And maybe give us some information on how we can get started with our high school diplomas and moving forward with our educations at North Shore Technical
Bridget Laborde:Of Community course, the one that rises to the top is North Oaks Health System. You know, they have been an incredible partner. Oh my goodness. Back to the sixties, honestly, when it was Seventh Corps General Hospital. They are still an incredible partner and, you know, we've said this several times prior in our prior interviews that they have donated land
Amber Narro:Mhmm.
Bridget Laborde:For us to build our new Hammond campus. And, oh, that's that's getting so close to being final. You know, there's a lot of work with the legislature that our college is doing, that our legislators are doing. Again, great partners are our local legislative delegation.
Amber Narro:Yeah. I think about the paperwork I gotta fill out just to move a desk on this campus. I can't imagine what you guys have to do with property stuff.
Bridget Laborde:Yeah. Yeah. It it is you know, I've learned a lot. I don't know all of the intricate details.
Amber Narro:Do I really wanna move this desk?
Bridget Laborde:Right. Right. So think about building a brand new campus. So we are just hoping and praying real soon that we'll see that as a true reality, you know, hopefully breaking ground.
Amber Narro:I mean,
Bridget Laborde:all the things. So again, you know, we're so grateful for that tremendous partnership Yes. With North And of course, Tension Prepared School System, another big hitter because we have dual enrollment that we have at the academic center that they have in Independence. Mhmm. So we're so happy to partner with them.
Bridget Laborde:Right.
Amber Narro:I'm trying I'm trying to start. It's what is it? It's it's the independence learning center. It's big workforce development. Yes.
Amber Narro:Bringing students in who are who have high ACTs in that space also to work on dual enrollment, but they also have job training there available. Lots of opportunities for our high school students and just a great facility as well. And and you guys are holding classes there for high school students so they can go ahead and get some of those credentials before so that when they get to college, they can really kinda Yeah.
Bridget Laborde:We we have the pre we have the pre practical nursing that is on the dual enrollment side so those individuals can complete their first year of the practical nursing program, then come to us and finish that. And that that's all that's, you know, across our entire region, not just here in Tangible Parish. But when we're thinking about Tangible Parish proper, you know, we're we're thinking about, you know, Tangible Parish school system. We're thinking about North Oaks Hospital. You're thinking, you know, about, you know, the the other health care institutions, you know, that are the the nursing homes that are here where our students can do clinicals.
Bridget Laborde:You know, we're we're thinking, you know, about Southland Steel. You know, they have an incredible partnership with Tampa Bay School System as well as our college. So we we are we are grateful for those partnerships because, I mean, we do what we do to benefit those those partners also, you know, by providing them with employees, training up that workforce. Right? I do wanna make another exciting announcement.
Bridget Laborde:I think you'll be super excited about this because you were super excited about it when I was telling you about this programming at our LaColeman Sullivan campus, and that's our heavy equipment operator program.
Amber Narro:Love this.
Bridget Laborde:I am pleased to announce
Amber Narro:Go on.
Bridget Laborde:That we are expanding heavy equipment operator to our campus in Walker and our campus in Greensburg. We just hired What a footprint.
Amber Narro:I know. So Lacombe, Walker, Greensburg now.
Bridget Laborde:And Bogalusa. And Bogalusa. Yeah. Yeah. Wow.
Bridget Laborde:So we're covering the East with Lacombe and Bogalusa. We're covering the West with Walker and Greensburg. I am excited about this. And you
Amber Narro:know why? Because I absolutely know people who are not interested in a book for the rest of their life. Okay? Now I love me some school. I love to sit in a classroom.
Amber Narro:I love to read. I love to be but some people really just are outside folks.
Bridget Laborde:Yeah.
Amber Narro:You know? And they like seeing the the fruits of their labor from a very different vantage point and that is building America. Right? Well,
Bridget Laborde:this infrastructure. Heavy equipment operators are critical to the infrastructure in our country, in our in our state, in our parish, in our city.
Amber Narro:And I'm sort of jealous. Like, I, you know, I like I get excited when I build me a little something for my desk or, you know, I like to play with little tiny bits of of of of building things. Right. Right. And make something cute or pretty.
Amber Narro:Yeah. I can't imagine standing back and looking at the building that you put together or the equipment that you moved to make something amazing. Can you imagine going around with your grandchildren going, you know, when that thing was going up, I brought in the stuff, the steel
Bridget Laborde:for Let's talk about the construction on I 12. Yeah. So some of our students went to work for Barrier Construction
Amber Narro:Oh, wow.
Bridget Laborde:You know, out of the heavy equipment operator program. Think about saying to your grandchildren, great grandchildren, you're traveling down I 12, hey, I was in the middle of all of this when it was being constructed and I did this. Yeah. It's like my dad. My dad, you know, when I was little was a carpenter in the carpenter's union, and he worked on the Superdome.
Bridget Laborde:Go on. I know. So when the Superdome turned 50 years old
Amber Narro:Building America. Years ago,
Bridget Laborde:you know, I told my dad, I'm like, you were there fifty years ago working on that. You know, of course, it's no big deal to him, but I'm like, that's a big deal to me. Yes.
Amber Narro:That's something that you can tell your children and grandchildren. And I have.
Bridget Laborde:And I have. So so yeah. So stay tuned. Thank you, papa. What's that?
Bridget Laborde:I said
Amber Narro:thank you, papa. I know. You're doing that.
Bridget Laborde:I know. So stay tuned for our announcement with our first class, a heavy equipment operator class in Walker. That we're hoping maybe April or May to launch that first class, but we're super excited about it. We'll be promoting it everywhere. And then another thing I wanted to share with something new that we're doing and talking about partnerships, and this is to our neighbors at the east in Saint Tammany Parish, Florida Marine Transporters, is a a maritime company.
Bridget Laborde:We have been doing some training for them, but we've also heard them talk about the need across that maritime industry for deckhands and, you know, and and the the career pathway when you start as a deckhand and can move up to a captain.
Amber Narro:I'm here about captain.
Bridget Laborde:Yep. Yep. So we have an intro to maritime course that we are offering. We have a grant to offer 15 seats at no cost to the those students. That class will be during the normal spring break in April.
Bridget Laborde:Just to introduce individuals into the world of maritime, these industry partners, not just Florida Marine, but talking about Hornbeck. Golly. You're talking about Weeks Marine, is now Kiwit. Big hitters in the maritime space here on the North Shore.
Amber Narro:That even owes us us on land, You know?
Bridget Laborde:I know. Right? I know. Yeah. They have told us they will hire every individual who completes those programs for as long as we offer the intro to maritime course.
Bridget Laborde:That's big.
Amber Narro:That is huge.
Bridget Laborde:So we are actually showcasing the maritime program on March 26 at our Lacombe campus during community college week. And that job does
Amber Narro:not sound like minimum wage to me.
Bridget Laborde:It is not minimum wage. Love it. And they can come in as a deckhand and then they can move up very, very quickly. And these companies are looking for individuals who want a career maritime because there was a new statistic that was just released. So the top tier of the maritime career ladder is captain.
Bridget Laborde:Right? The captain of these tugboats you know, out there on the Mississippi River. Let's bring it down to where we can all understand what I'm talking about. So that's the top career level. Right?
Bridget Laborde:There is going to be a shortage this year of 60,000 captains Yikes. Across the nation in the maritime industry. So what's happening? They're promoting from within. Right?
Bridget Laborde:They're promoting those deckhands who have worked up, you know, through this career ladder to captain. So they have to backfill those positions. Right? So we are partnering with them. Talking about partnerships again, we're partnering with the maritime industry to promote the maritime industry, to introduce individuals into the maritime industry with this course that we're having, and to provide a workforce, a trained workforce for the maritime industry.
Bridget Laborde:So in Lacombe, the week of March 23, you know, that's community college week. So that Tuesday, which is, I I believe, the twenty fourth, there, we will be highlighting our maritime simulator. And then on the twenty sixth, which is that Thursday, it's the big maritime event at the Lacombe campus. So more information is gonna come out about that soon, but, you know, new stuff, great things that we're expanding and doing at the college across all of our campuses.
Amber Narro:Excellent. Well, you're gonna be back with me on April 9. So I'm gonna stop you here or no. April 10 is is the next time you're with me at 09:00. I saw nine and it's and it's yep.
Amber Narro:Wait. Wait. Wait. You're gonna be with me in March too. Sorry.
Amber Narro:I'm skipping over March. March 13, you're gonna be back with me. So we'll talk about this a little bit more on March 13. So that's fantastic. I don't know.
Amber Narro:I just well, at least I gained a month instead of lost one. Right? I know, brother. So you'll be back with me on that day because we could just sit here and talk and talk all day about the wonderful things that are happening in our area. So I'm gonna I'm gonna stop us here so that we can get into next month when you come back, Bridget.
Amber Narro:Absolutely. But my gosh, thank you for everything that North Shore Technical Community College is doing for this community and the people in it, and and truly, I wish everybody in this parish could meet you. And and if can't
Bridget Laborde:wish I could meet everybody here too and tell them about all the great things that we're doing.
Amber Narro:Yes. Because you are so full of passion and just wonder for this awesome organization in North Shore Technical Community College, but truly have the heart for the people and everybody around you does as well. Doctor Carlson, when was here last month was amazing in sharing some of the things that he's doing to level people up. We really talked about leveling up last month and you're here to say that it all starts with that high school equivalency. Get that done that we can get you into these programs for maritime, for heavy equipment, for all things that you can do to change your family tree.
Amber Narro:Thank you,
Bridget Laborde:Bridget. No. Thank you. I feel very honored to be a part of building futures. You know, that's our that's our motto is building futures, and we really are doing that, and it's so incredible to be a part of that.
Bridget Laborde:But thank you for letting me come and share every month. Indeed.
Amber Narro:For more information, we're gonna visit where?
Bridget Laborde:Northshorecollege.edu.
Amber Narro:Very good. Yep. Very good. Go straight there. You can get all the numbers, all the addresses, all the applications.
Bridget Laborde:Let's
Amber Narro:get it done. Very good. Thank you, Bridget Labord. She is with North Shore Technical Community College here on ninety point nine FM, the Lion. We've been at the Lion's Roundtable today.
Amber Narro:Thank you for listening on Thursdays and Fridays at 9AM. Join us again. This is Amber Narro. Y'all have a great day.
Todd Delaney:Thank you for joining us today. If you missed any part of the show, you can listen to the lions roundtable on demand at our website, lionupradio.org. The podcast version is also available for download from Amazon, Google, Spotify, and TuneIn.
