After the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the board of the Louisiana Human Resource Development Institute (LHRDI), which has more than 20 years experience helping the working people of Louisiana with employment services, decided to approach the Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL) about funding for a new project within LHRDI. This new project, the Louisiana Center for Workforce Recovery (LCWR), was eventually funded by LDOL to provide employment services to victims of the storms.

LCWR has a unique relationship with the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, and therefore, we are able to provide clients who are interested in careers in the construction industry with information about employment and training. LCWR only works with employers who offer real opportunities for our clients to become self-sufficient by making a livable wage, offer training for advancement, and, preferably, where benefits are available for employees and their families.

LCWR's goal is to assist people who lost their jobs as a result of Hurricane Katrina to reintegrate into the workforce. We hope to rebuild Louisiana with better paying careers for its citizens, more stability, and improved economic growth for all. Our counseling process involves three key steps:

- Direct Job Referrals

- Locating of Job Training Opportunities

- Addressing Social Service Needs.

Most of our offices are located at Louisiana Department of Labor One Stop Career Solution Centers, which also allows us to offer clients information on public resources available to them.