![]() ![]() While the UGA Workforce Planning Guide proved valuable for Vidalia-Toombs County, the assistance provided by UGA Institute of Government faculty and staff added support to the process. The steering committee’s final project is to launch a Teacher Externship Program this summer. “For communities seeking ways to address workforce demands, we hope this guide just might be the ‘secret sauce’ that allows them to identify existing opportunities and plan for future growth.” Greg Wilson, institute faculty and workforce expert The fair drew more than 70 local employers and approximately 300 job-seekers. “We had amazing community support,” she said.Īs did the one other project, a regional job fair hosted by Southeastern Technical College. Paige Williamson, director of the Toombs County Family Connection, said the connections she made as a member of the steering committee made funding easier to obtain. Now, 7th- and 8th-grade boys are learning about varying career fields like dental hygiene, cosmetology and nursing through another version of the program, “This Guy Can.” The committee was able to identify community support, secure more funding and grow the program. In collaboration with the K-12 Family Connections and after-school programs, and with support from Trane and Georgia Power, the committee launched “This Girl Can,” a program designed to introduce 7th- and 8th-grade girls to non-traditional career fields such as automotive, electrical, HVAC and welding. The committee took on four workforce development projects during the process-a job fair, a summer teacher program and two projects that focused on career awareness for middle-school students. ![]() Just having everyone together in the same room and talking was incredible, and the team from UGA was a big part of that,” Johnson said.įollowing the steps outlined in the guide, Vidalia officials created a 27-person steering committee composed of K-12 educators, city officials, employers and technical institutions. The biggest hurdle is making sure everyone is aware of the resources available. “Folks are just so busy working in their business and industry. Michelle Johnson, president of the Greater Vidalia™ Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Toombs County Development Authority, explained it was the right time because after the challenges of the pandemic, industries were calling, and the guide provided a tool to get the buy-in and get everyone to the table and talking. With the updated guide in development, Vidalia-Toombs County tested its content and planning process. In 2021, while trying to recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, officials from Vidalia-Toombs County began working with the UGA Institute of Government on workforce development issues. Work in Vidalia-Toombs County shows the impact the guide can have in communities. It’s about looking at things holistically and knowing what’s happening on the ground.” “Today, it isn’t just about selling Georgia. “Georgia had a banner year in economic development,” Lillyblad said. Georgia Power also sponsored the guide’s development.įor communities all over Georgia, the Workforce Planning Guide offers a roadmap for those charged with reinvigorating their local economies. ![]() Wilson and others from the UGA Institute of Government worked closely with Joseph Lillyblad, education and workforce development director at Georgia Power, to design a guide that would bring together community leaders and major employers. “For communities seeking ways to address workforce demands, we hope this guide just might be the ‘secret sauce’ that allows them to identify existing opportunities and plan for future growth,” said Greg Wilson, institute faculty and workforce expert. ![]()
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