National Career and Technical Education Month Recognized at State Capitol

ATLANTA, February 4, 2015—Gov. Nathan Deal recognized National Career and Technical Education (CTE) month at the state Capitol today. The event spotlighted the state's Go Build Georgia program which educates students about career opportunities in the skilled trades.

'Since its launch in 2012, Go Build Georgia has educated our state's high school students about the benefits of high-demand careers in skilled labor trades,' said Gov. Nathan Deal. 'As a product of my Competitiveness Initiative, Go Build Georgia has and will continue to serve as a tool to address the needs of Georgia businesses and job seekers alike in order to develop our top-ranked workforce infrastructure and maintain our competitiveness in the global marketplace.'

Go Build Georgia, managed by the Georgia Department of Economic Development's Workforce division, is a partner of the Georgia Association for Career and Technical Education (GACTE). GACTE organizes events during CTE month that bring awareness to those who work throughout the year to educate and prepare students for rewarding careers in high-demand industries across the state.

'Go Build Georgia better equips our future workforce for the growing demands of Georgia businesses,' said Georgia Department of Economic Development Deputy Commissioner of Workforce Ben Hames. 'More than 290 Go Build Georgia teams are positioned throughout the state, within high schools and other educational facilities. Our goal is to grow this number, so that every student in Georgia is exposed to the importance of skilled trade careers in our economy.'

Go Build Georgia teams provide a comprehensive guide on ways to transition from the classroom to careers in telecommunications, manufacturing, transportation, energy and construction.

'Our team works with companies throughout the state to identify their business needs in order to help them be successful in Georgia'' said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Chris Carr. 'Go Build Georgia reaches students at a critical time in their career development -provides students with information about these in demand jobs making it easier for Georgia companies to find the workforce they need to grow their business.'

Go Build Georgia continues to encourage students to participate in career pathways and work-based learning opportunities that assist in the transition into rewarding careers across the state.

For more information on Go Build Georgia, visit www.gobuildgeorgia.com.

Photos from this event will be available online at http://photos.gov.georgia.gov/