Rp. Vlosky et Np. Chance, Employment structure and training needs in the Louisiana value-added wood products industry, FOREST PROD, 51(3), 2001, pp. 34-41
Research has shown that there is significant employment demand in the wood
products industry in Louisiana. The need to develop and sustain training pr
ograms for the forest products industry is immediate and critical. Just ove
r a third of respondents had plans to increase employment in 1999 while 43
percent said they will add employees in the subsequent 3-year period. Howev
er, the most prevalent reason why respondents are not adding employees is t
he lack of adequately trained labor. This paper indicates that in order for
Louisiana value-added wood products manufacturers to be able to be competi
tive in the marketplace, appropriate training of the workforce must become
a priority.