NGO Funding Request


The recipient entity's full legal name:  Research Park Corporation

The recipient entity's physical address:
           7117 Florida Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806


The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           7117 Florida Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806


Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          Charles Landry
Isaac Thomas
Michael Moles


The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  7281

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $250,000

What type of request is this?  General Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           PRESIDENT & CEO
Genevieve Silverman
3119 Harrells Lane Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Mr. Calvin Mills Jr. (Designee of Mayor Sharon Weston Broome)
CEO, CMC Technology Consulting
P.O. Box 83781
Baton Rouge, LA 70884

Dr. Stacia Haynie (Designee of LSU President King Alexander)
Executive Vice President & Provost
Louisiana State University
156 Thomas Boyd Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803

Dr. Michael Stubblefield (Designee of President/Chancellor Dr. Ray Belton)
Vice Chancellor for Research and Strategic Initiatives
Southern University
730 Harding Boulevard
P.O. Box 9272
Baton Rouge, LA 70813

Dr. James Chappell (Designee of Secretary Don Pierson)
Director, State Economic Competitiveness
Department of Economic Development
617 N. Third Street, 11th Floor
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Mr. Isaac Thomas
Designee of Economic Freedom Association
7534 Chablis Court
Baton Rouge, LA 70817

Mr. Edmund J. Giering, IV
General Counsel
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
100 North Street, Suite # 900
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Mr. Quentin L. Messer Jr.
President & CEO
New Orleans Business Alliance
935 Gravier Street, Suite 2020
New Orleans, LA 70112

Ms. Anita Tillman
CEO, AMcorp International LLC
3112 Keithway Dr.
Harvey, LA 70058

Mr. Jerry Jones, Jr.
Executive Director, BR North Economic Development District
1801 W. Airline Hwy.
LaPlace, LA 70068

Mr. Mo Vij
President & CEO, General Informatics
One Smart Way
Baton Rouge, LA 70810


Provide a summary of the project or program:
           Research Park Corporation (RPC) has launched the first technology apprenticeship program in Louisiana, Apprenti Louisiana, based on the successful experience of the Washington Technology Industry Association in Seattle, which launched the original Apprenti program in 2015 to address the tech workforce shortage facing the State of Washington and identify diverse talent to meet industry needs. The program works with tech employers to identify mid-tier jobs ready to be filled by highly competent people, regardless of educational background. Unlike traditional job-training options, Apprenti combines education and paid on-the-job training for placement in a high paying, high-skill occupation.
After its initial success in Washington, in 2016 Apprenti was awarded a U.S. DOL grant to expand nationwide to address the talent needs of the tech industry nationally, and now operates in several other states. The program has received over 9,000 applications and placed about 400 apprentices into technology roles at companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Eventbrite, Kraft, UBS, Accenture and Blue Cross. These apprentices now work in a variety of roles, including web developer, software developer, network security administrator, Windows system administrator, Linux system administrator, cloud support specialist, data center technician, and IT support.
The Apprenti program utilizes the traditional apprenticeship model, but tailors it to the IT sector. As in traditional apprenticeship models such as plumbing and carpentry, a sponsoring entity serves as the liaison between the government, employers, training partners, and apprentices, in its role as manager and sponsor of the program. In June 2018, RPC secured the Apprenti license as the sponsor for the state of Louisiana and launched a pilot program in the Baton Rouge region for a Cybersecurity Analyst position, in partnership with the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC). Through funding from LWC under a U.S. DOL grant, RPC recruited five employers to join the pilot, and 9 apprentices began training in January 2019. Building on this proven success, RPC has now developed a business plan and budget to scale the program to other Louisiana communities and additional tech occupations over the next few years through the following activities:
• Employer recruitment: We worked with our existing network as a leader of the tech innovation ecosystem in the state, to recruit five employers for the pilot: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, EATEL Business, TraceSecurity, Transformyx and General Informatics. We also have generated interest from additional employers across LA to join future cohorts.
• Training partner selection: LANtec of LA is the training partner for the pilot cohort but we have also had extensive discussions with the Louisiana Community & Technical College System about developing training for additional Apprenti roles.
• Registration and reporting: Apprenti LA is a registered apprenticeship program with state and federal agencies, which helps ensure consistent accountability and outcomes for the program, as well as the ability to leverage federal and state funding for training costs.
• Apprentice recruitment: Particular focus is placed on recruiting veterans, women and minorities to the program, but anyone is welcome to apply. RPC utilized a network of community partners to drive applicants in the Baton Rouge region to the web portal including: BRAC, EBR Career Center at Main Library, LWC, United Way, The Walls Project, EmployBR, BRCC, and BR North Economic Development District.
• Apprentice Evaluation: A four-step evaluation process is designed to test an applicant’s potential for success in a highly-skilled IT role, by evaluating the applicant’s attitude, aptitude, and cultural fit for the position. Applicants are not required to supply information on their educational background or previous employment.


What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $100,000
          Professional Services. . . $0
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $0
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $400,000
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $0

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          Research Park Corporation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit formed in 1992 by the Louisiana Legislature with a public purpose to promote and develop high-technology industry and research, and create jobs in the State of Louisiana. RPC has emerged as an economic development conglomerate of multiple organizations helping Louisiana companies create the jobs of the future. The growth of Louisiana’s tech-based employers has been stifled due to the lack of skilled tech talent in the state. This project helps address that gap.
Tech is the fastest-growing occupational sector in the world, touching all major industry sectors from healthcare to oil and gas and manufacturing. Our tech employers in Louisiana are faced with an increasingly challenging recruiting environment, as demand for talent vastly outweighs the supply of workers. Data supplied by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) demonstrates that there were 17,078 technology occupation online job postings in Louisiana in 2018, which is almost fifteen times the number of tech degree completions (1,149 degrees earned from Louisiana institutions) in 2018.
This problem has been compounded by the success of the recruiting efforts of Louisiana Economic Development and our regional economic development organizations. Large companies that have landed in South Louisiana in the past several years, along with their hunger for tech talent, include IBM, DXC, GE Digital, and CGI. These announcements are in addition to the increasing demand generated by homegrown Louisiana tech companies in all corners of the state, such as General Informatics, Lucid, Lookfar and CenturyLink.

With every city in the nation competing for available tech talent, it is not realistic to think that we can recruit into Louisiana all the talent needed to sustain and grow our needs. When employers across all industries are challenged to find people with the right tech talent and are unable to fill vacant positions through their established pipelines, they resort to poaching talent from others. This practice, while helpful in the short-term, is simply unsustainable, and tends to disproportionately affect the smaller tech employers. Now is the time to make investments in new solutions such as a scalable, industry-led apprenticeship program, to augment the existing talent pool and usher in a culture that promotes the training and use of local talent. If these investments are not made, we will continue to suffer from talent shortages and unfavorable demographics will continue to negatively affect the state’s workforce for years to come.


What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          The objective of Apprenti Louisiana is to provide a proven, reliable pipeline for talent (with a focus on underrepresented groups, such as minorities, women, and veterans) to gain training, certification, and placement within tech occupations, regardless of educational background and prior work experience. In defining the project, NexusLA has identified the following measurable goals:

1. Minimum of 100 apprentices placed by December 31, 2021
2. Increase in the percentage of women, veterans, and minorities in information technology occupations in the Apprenti program, versus state and national averages
3. Demonstrable value and clear return on investment (ROI) for employers
4. Increased awareness of alternative career pathways in IT, including credentialed training and articulation
5. 15 hiring partners engaged with apprentices through the Apprenti program by December 31, 2021

The following outcomes will be tracked through reports from data input by apprentices, employers, and staff:
• Number of applications received;
• Number of candidates evaluated;
• Percentage of apprentices who successfully complete the registered apprenticeship program;
• Percentage of apprentices who enter employment following successful completion of apprenticeship;
• Percentage and total number of apprentices from underrepresented or target populations, as well as the percentage served who were unemployed;
• Income growth (the change in salary pre-apprenticeship to the salary attained post-apprenticeship); and
• Total number of hiring partners engaged in the program.

We project Apprenti Louisiana to be self-sustaining by the end of 2020. Funding for the apprenticeship program will come from multiple sources: 1) An administrative fee charged to the hiring partner for each apprentice hired for assessing, placing and tracking of apprentices throughout the program; 2) Public funds available for training through state and local workforce agencies; 3) Apprentice contributions for a portion of their training costs, to be financed through unsecured loans and repaid following placement with the employer; and 4) contributions from state, federal, and private sources (we have $90k remaining in U.S. DOL funding). NexusLA is currently requesting funds to seed the program, allowing us to hire a Program Manager, immediately launch a second cohort in Fall 2019 and execute our business plan. We plan to run 3 more cohorts in 2020 and 4 more in 2021.


What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           24 months

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                 

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
              

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
               

          What is the nature of the relationship? 

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               


Contact Information
name:  Genevieve Silverman 
                                       address:  7117 Florida Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

                                       phone:  225-218-1100
                                       fax:  225-218-0101
                                       e-mail:  gen@nexus-LA.org
                                       relationship to entity:  President & CEO