Baton Rouge, La -- The Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC), and Louisiana Economic Development (LED) were recently presented the 2017 Innovation in Regulation Award.  The National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies (NASCLA) presented the award at the association's 55th Annual Conference  in Denver, Colorado.  

NASCLA created this national award to recognize a state member who has showcased innovation, creativity and excellence for the purpose of maintaining fair and balanced regulation of the construction industry. William Seaman, director of workforce alignment for the LCTCS and Michael McDuff, executive director with the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, were present to accept the award.

In early 2016, LCTCS, LSLBC, and LED identified a need to assist small construction companies with building a solid foundation for business growth and success. As a result, the Louisiana Contractor Accreditation Institute (LCAI) was created.  This innovative program was designed to help Louisiana's small businesses prepare for the business and law portion of the contractors' exam, while building a better understanding of the construction industry. Topics covered included the bid process; contract management; estimating; equipment management; occupational safety; risk management; bonding; financial and business management among others.

Through two cohorts LCAI has produced 243 and 149 graduates in both the fall and spring courses through live, interactive distance learning at each of the thirteen community and technical college locations throughout the state. The success of this program is a product of the strong collaboration and communication within the partnership, the leveraging of technology, and a considerable demand for this particular subject matter.