James Nov-Dec 2023 web - Flipbook - Page 64
post-secondary credentials is
critical to sustaining the state’s
economic competitiveness, employers can meet immediate workforce
needs by investing in career-connected programming offered by
middle and high schools, post-secondary institutions, and community-based organizations.
Investments can take several
forms, including partnering with
school districts to identify needs,
purchasing specialized equipment,
designing pathways curricula, and
offering real-world, experiential
learning opportunities for interns
and apprentices.
Since employers draw prospective employees from K-12 and
post-secondary environments, they
are well-positioned to invest in
pathways programming at technical
colleges. The Technical College System of Georgia’s (TCSG) Quick Start
program, for example, customizes
workforce training based on em-
The Georgia Power
Company supplements
work of state agencies
like the Department of
Economic Development
by helping existing
businesses expand.
ployers’ needs. Apprenticeship and
aligned technical education programs
can supplement the Quick Start programs by creating multiple pathways
for Georgians to enter high-wage,
high-demand career fields.
Employers can also partner
with education leaders at the local
and state levels to create education-to-career pipelines for their specific workforce sector that prepare
work-ready high school graduates
and adults.
thank you!
The Georgia Restaurant Association Board
of Directors, Advisory Board and the GRA
Team wish to thank Karen Bremer, CAE
for her leadership and dedication over
the last 13 years serving as President +
CEO of the GRA!
congratulations on
your retirement!
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JAMES
NOVEM B E R/D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
www.garestaurants.org
COMMUNIT Y & ECONOMI C
DEVELOPMENT PARTNE RSHIPS
Employers should also explore
how to participate in community
and economic development efforts
to meet their own long-term growth
objectives. By partnering with
key stakeholders in the regional
economy— local school systems,
post-secondary institutions, and
local chambers of commerce, to
name three— employers can ensure
that the communities where they
operate produce the skilled and credentialed residents ready to meet
workforce needs.
The Creature Comforts Brewing
Company, based in Athens, has
embraced this type of thinking.
In 2022, the company launched
the “Get Comfortable” initiative to
increase third grade reading proficiency. While the Creature Comfort’s immediate bottom line is not
obviously affected by early literacy,
the company made a significant