Erika LouviereСAPPs mother once called her a СAPPJackie of all Trades.СAPP The moniker seems pretty fitting.
Since earning her B.S. in Industrial Technology in 2002, the New Iberia native has held over a dozen positions in almost as many fields, from oilfield service to real estate to education. Louviere also owned and operated two manufacturing businesses and creates metal decor.
СAPPI would get to the point that I couldnСAPPt move up because I just had a bachelorСAPPs, so I did different things from drafting to production coordinator to purchasing,СAPP she said.
Last year, Louviere encountered a new roadblock. She had settled into a teaching position at a charter school in Franklin when administrators said they would not renew her contract if she didnСAPPt acquire her teaching certification.
Rather than attain that certification, Louviere decided to earn a graduate degree, giving her the opportunity to teach in higher education and provide more mobility in the industry.
СAPPIt was a no-brainer,СAPP she says. СAPPI could get my masterСAPPs and then teach what I know instead of elementary math, science, or English.СAPP
Louviere set a pretty ambitious goal for herself. Enrolling in the Master of Science in Systems Technology online program in Fall 2018, she aimed to finish in three semesters.
And thatСAPPs exactly what she did.
СAPPEverybody was like, СAPPYou canСAPPt do it that fast; thereСAPPs no way,'" she says.
"Tell me I canСAPPt and watch me."
Louviere didnСAPPt have experience with online courses or UL LafayetteСAPPs online Learning Management System, Moodle. But she quickly embraced the technology and its capabilities.
СAPPAt first, it was like, СAPPwhat is this?СAPP But it was amazing to have all those tools,СAPP she says. СAPPThat makes it easy for those of us who are parents, trying to work and balance home lives. You can do what you need to do from home. You donСAPPt have to be on campus, in the library.СAPP
From the outset, Louviere knew she needed to begin working on her culminating project to hit her projected timeline. But research regarding technologies she was interested in СAPP 3D printing or plasma cutting СAPP seemed saturated.
СAPPYou have to invent or come up with something that streamlines a process making it more efficient,СAPP she said.
That something came from a surprise sounding board: LouviereСAPPs 14-year-old son.
СAPPI said I needed to create something that makes life easier or a process to create consistent results,СAPP recalls Louviere. СAPPHe said, СAPPMom, can you come up with something to help my Coush-coush (grandfather) to pick up those crawfish traps? It hurts his back so much.СAPPСAPP
That was all Louviere needed to begin formulating a mechanism to relieve musculoskeletal stress in crawfish farmers.
She reached out to LSU AgCenter Agriculture and Coastal Resources Specialist Mark Shirley, who said he hadnСAPPt seen anything designed specifically to help crawfish farmers collect traps.
Louviere is now working to patent the project to potentially bring it to production.
She said she hopes to publish her results soon.
СAPPWeСAPPve tested it and proven it. Over the next year, my plan is to perfect it, modify it to be a little more efficient, and then push forward with patenting,СAPP she says.
True to form, Louviere has other coals in the fire.
The M.S. in Systems Technology СAPP the only program of its kind in the Southern Region СAPP combines courses to hone industry skills and knowledge with graduate business courses to equip students with advanced problem-solving skills.
Louviere drilled down on courses in entrepreneurship to support her plans to open a storefront to sell original and custom metalwork.
СAPPI loved them,СAPP she says. СAPPThey were so informative.СAPP
Meanwhile, sheСAPPll have the opportunity to СAPPteach what she knowsСAPP at South Louisiana Community College in the Industrial Technology program this fall.