James Nov-Dec 2023 web - Flipbook - Page 65
community investment because low
literacy threatens local economic
growth and eventually limits their
access to a skilled workforce.
In an example of partnering
with communities to spur economic
development, the Georgia Power
Co. supplements the work of state
agencies like the Department of
Economic Development by helping existing businesses expand in
Georgia and attracting businesses
currently operating in other states.
The utility company also employs
a group of economic development
professionals that live and work in
communities across the state, providing civic and corporate leaders
with resources to support regional
planning and transformation.
state priorities and employer needs.
To this end, the Georgia Partnership has identified three ways industry representatives can advocate
for aligned education and workforce
development strategies:
Champion strategies that
address regional and
statewide workforce needs.
Provide advice and technical
recommendations to state
legislators on how to
fund and execute specific
programs and strategies.
STAT E - L E V E L A DVO C AC Y
Serve as surrogates for key
education and workforce
messages.
The corporate community should
also engage with legislative and
state and local agency leaders to
ensure greater alignment between
To be sure, these strategies
alone cannot ensure that Georgia
will have enough skilled workers to
meet our workforce needs by 2033.
However, these strategies can be
implemented as part of a larger
coordinated state plan that aligns
education policy— from early learning through post-secondary— with
economic development policy, as
described in EdQuest Georgia.
This alignment can propel us toward that North Star goal of ensuring
that by 2033, 65 percent of Georgia’s
adults hold post-secondary credentials that provide a livable wage.
At the Georgia Partnership, we
remain hopeful and committed to
success because of the growing
evidence of innovative community
and corporate strategies cropping up
across the Peach State. By working
with leaders at all levels, the corporate community can be a hands-on
partner in moving Georgia forward
toward the North Star.
Matthew Smith is the Director of Policy and
Research at the Georgia Partnership for Excellence
in Education.
Here in the great Peach state, we approach all things with a sense of pride
and hands-on care, and our locally grown products are no exception.
Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper bottle
feeds a calf on his farm in Irwin County.
N OV EM B E R /D ECGeorgiaGrown.com
E M BER 2023
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