It’s not often in today’s world you find people who all agree on something. But if you talk to business owners, large and small, around the state they’re all but guaranteed to agree on the fact that Louisiana needs to beef up its workforce and do more to train workers for a variety of professions. Even before the pandemic, employers were complaining about a lack of trained and skilled workers. Now, it’s even worse.
Dr. Monty Sullivan has dedicated his life to rectifying this problem. Since 2014 Dr Sullivan has been President of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, which comprises 14 2-year institutions around the state and is focused on preparing the state’s workforce for the future.
LCTS President, Dr. Monty Sullivan
During his tenure to date at LCTS, Monty has strengthened and diversified the system and led strategic planning efforts. Prior to heading LCTCS, Monty was chancellor of Delgado Community College in New Orleans, which, under his leadership, saw significant gains in fundraising, student outcomes and a reconnection with the business community in the region.
Monty has served in six different colleges and two state community and technical college systems over the last two decades. He is a native of Louisiana, who received his bachelor’s, master’s degree and doctorate from Louisiana Tech.
Calvin Mills, founder of the Uber of tech support app, HelpIT
Calvin Mills is an entrepreneur, and founder and CEO of Help IT, a mobile app that helps small businesses and individuals find instant access to IT services, whether that help be remote or in person. The app has been described as the Uber of tech support because it serves as a broker – pairing needy customers with trained technicians.
IT consulting is just one hat Calvin wears. He is also a published author, a motivational speaker, and a governmental relations expert. Calvin is a native of Baton Rouge and graduate of Southern University, where he played football in the 1990s.
Stephanie Riegel, Out to Lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard
Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Erik Otts at our website itsbatonrouge.la. And check out this recent lunchtime conversation where Baton Rouge’s old school travel agent business meets the blockchain.
