In Southeast Louisiana, students looking to gain an education through a community or technical college are served by Region 3 and Region 9 of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.

The system had its beginnings in Bogalusa in November 1930, expanded to Shreveport in 1938 and today serves the needs of the state through 40 campuses. Nine of those campuses �” five in Region 3 and four in Region 9 �” serve Southeast Louisiana.

Offering a diversity of courses �” from commercial diving to welding to nursing and computer technology �” the system addresses the needs of a changing work force in a changing economy.

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While Gov. Bobby Jindal announced $55 million in budget cuts in higher education at the end of 2008, funding for the technical colleges was left intact for the current year.

“I told the Governor we appreciated his leaving the funding alone and having confidence in us,” Region 9 Dean William Wainwright said.

Across the state, enrollment is up on the LTC campuses �” partly because of an increased demand for training, partly because of a changing work force and partly because of the current recession.

More than 59,000 students were enrolled statewide in the fall of 2008 and that number is expected to continue to grow, but Wainwright said the system will ony grow as long as it meets the needs of its constituents �” the job market and the student.

“We have to be accountable to both, and are held accountable to both through our accreditation,” he said.

LCTCS President Dr. Joe D. May. Said, "Allowing our budget to remain whole will provide us with an opportunity to continue working with Louisiana Economic Development and the Louisiana Workforce Commission to fully develop and implement the workforce redesign efforts unveiled last March. As a result, ultimately everyone will benefit as we grow and train students, put more people to work , and help business and industry thrive as we boost the economy.”