Claire Jecklin
Claire Jecklin is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the New Orleans Career Center (NOCC), an independent nonprofit organization that provides high school and adult trainees with career preparation and technical skills training. Through NOCC, participants earn industry-based credentials (IBCs) to secure employment in high-wage, high-demand sectors. The center's graduates walk into the workforce equipped with the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to thrive in their careers.
Before founding NOCC in 2017, Claire served as Co-Principal of the New Orleans Charter High School for Science and Math. With 17 years of experience as a classroom teacher and school leader, Claire holds a Bachelor's degree in English and a Master's degree in education leadership. She chairs the Youth Committee of the City of New Orleans Workforce Development Board and represents the city as a member of the National League of Cities' Southern Cities Economic Inclusion cohort and the America Achieves Good Jobs Economy Peer Learning Task Force. Claire also collaborates with NOLA Public Schools and Ochsner Health System and is a strong advocate for career and technical education and workforce development.
Under Claire's leadership, NOCC has become a key provider of career and technical education in New Orleans. The center helps individuals gain the technical skills needed for success in careers such as engineering, health, building trades, culinary arts, and digital media. By focusing on both technical training and work-based learning experiences, NOCC prepares its students for college, careers, and life. Claire's innovative vision continues to transform lives, creating pathways for success and empowering New Orleanians to achieve their professional goals.