HDCI: A 2015 Snapshot

Picture a round-table with key industry professionals sitting together and each expert in his/her respected field in one room discussing a common issue across many business sectors - identifying a strong, trained and reliable workforce. In 2014, Governor Deal set that stage in Georgia by launching the Governor's High Demand Career Initiative. This public/ private dialogue allows state partners responsible for training Georgia's future workforce—primarily the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and the University System of Georgia (USG), in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) — to sit together with employers in one room and discuss their workforce challenges.
Since its launch, the HDCI team has heard from over 100 Georgia employers. In 2015, 19 companies including: Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, SunTrust, The Coca-Cola Company, The Kroger Company, Kaiser Permanente and ConAgra Foods expressed an interest in hiring: Engineers, Maintenance Technicians, Registered Nurses, and Skilled Trade Professionals.

The HDCI team would like to send a special thanks to Chattahoochee Technical College, Clayton State University, Albany State University and Savannah Technical College for co-hosting this year's meetings.

From the August 19, 2015 HDCI meeting at Clayton State University:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJG87Uz0CX4]

As we embark on year three of HDCI, the Georgia Department of Economic Development invites all Georgia companies to join the conversation and weigh in on their workforce needs by completing the HDCI Online Assessment. The data collected from this assessment will help set the state for future workforce development efforts statewide, regionally and on the local level.

'Our main goal is to ensure that we have the information needed to respond to business needs, said Jamie Jordan, HDCI Program Manager. 'Through HDCI, we are able to hear directly from the employer, and in-turn train a strong and reliable workforce for high-demand careers of today and the near future.'

For more information on the High Demand Career Initiative, visit Georgia.org/HDCI or contact HDCI Program Manager Jamie Jordan at [email protected]