The new lab gives BRCC students hands-on training in carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing and construction management.
August 21, 2026
BATON ROUGE – In what marks a huge boost for workforce development in skilled trades, Baton Rouge Community College officially opened the Capital City Construction Lab during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday at the Mid City campus.
Funded in part by an $850,000 Gable Grant from the Lowe’s Foundation, the Capital City Construction Lab is a hands-on, open-air learning environment where students gain practical skills in carpentry, electrical, HVAC, construction management and plumbing.
“The Capital City Construction Lab is a game changer for our students and for the future of our region’s workforce,” BRCC Chancellor Willie E. Smith, Sr. said. “This facility gives BRCC students the opportunity to move beyond the classroom and gain hands-on experience in real-world conditions, preparing them with the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to succeed in careers in the skilled trades and construction industry.”
Smith also thanked the Lowe’s Foundation for its support of BRCC’s workforce initiatives and programs.
“I am grateful to the Lowe’s Foundation for its investment in our students that helped create this facility and our new Plumbing Program. Together, we are creating pathways to prosperity and strengthening our role as the Capital Region’s No. 1 talent developer.”
The Capital City Construction Lab is part of the Lowe’s Foundation’s commitment to help prepare 250,000 people for skilled trades careers by 2035. The Lowe’s Foundation is helping BRCC give students more opportunities to learn skills that are in demand across the region.
“As our country faces a significant shortage of skilled trades professionals, investments in hands-on training have never been more important,” said Gerardo Soto, Lowe’s Foundation Board Member and Vice President of Media and Sports Marketing at Lowe’s. “Through our partnership with BRCC, we’re helping students build real-world skills that can lead to rewarding careers right here in Baton Rouge, while creating a stronger talent pipeline for local employers and supporting the continued growth of communities across Louisiana.”
In addition to funding the Capital City Construction Lab, the Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grant also established the BRCC Plumbing Program that welcomed its first group of students in January.
The new lab is designed to feel more like a real construction site than a traditional classroom. The lab features a waterproof canopy, making it usable in most weather conditions, and wide entryways to allow heavy equipment and machinery to move in and out for students to learn on actual job-site equipment.
The lab also strengthens BRCC’s nationally recognized Construction Management program. The BRCC Construction Management (CM) degree program is the only two-year degree program accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) in Louisiana and one of only 15 ACCE-accredited two-year programs in the nation.
Through the Capital City Construction Lab, BRCC is helping students turn classroom lessons into real-world skills and giving them a clear pathway to high-demand, high-wage careers in the Capital Region and beyond.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
BRCC, Lowe’s representatives and industry partners officially open the Capital City Construction Lab with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at BRCC’s Mid City campus.
BRCC Foundation Board Chair LaDonna Williams speaks during the Capital City Construction Lab ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Chancellor Willie E. Smith Sr. speaks during the Capital City Construction Lab ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Lowe’s Foundation Board Member Gerardo Soto speaks during the Capital City Construction Lab celebration.
BRCC Provost Sarah Barlow speaks during the Capital City Construction Lab ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Lowe’s representatives and Provost Barlow join BRCC’s mascot, Maxwell, during the Capital City Construction Lab celebration.