The critical workforce shortage our industry predicted some time ago is happening now, and AGC Georgia has taken the lead to address this issue. With the economy improving and the number of new projects increasing, AGC Georgia’s member firms are looking to us to help them fill immediate and future job openings.
As a result of this important member and industry need, workforce development is a primary focus area for our association at both the state and national level. AGC Georgia embraces AGC of America’s viewpoint on “workforce development” as a broad umbrella encompassing two primary areas:
- initiatives that encourage, educate and expose students in elementary, middle or high school to the multitude of career opportunities in construction, and
- initiatives that help prepare young people for their first jobs in the industry, either through craft training, technical school training, apprenticeship programs, or two and four-year college programs.
A new high-level
AGC Georgia Workforce Development Task Force is at work linking numerous fragmented efforts by various groups, including our Chapter, into a more strategic, coordinated and cohesive initiative to ensure your company can benefit. Still going strong are the Chapter’s regional
workforce development alliances set up around the state, the
Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA) which our Chapter supports and helps to underwrite, and Governor Deal’s
The Georgia Skilled Trade Initiative campaign. Each of these efforts are designed to encourage more young people to consider careers in construction, attract more workers to skilled trades, and help support the technical schools and high school construction programs in Georgia. You are encouraged to explore the many ways your company can get engaged in these initiatives.
In addition, AGC Georgia encourages member firms to consider hiring our nation’s veterans through the Hiring Our Heroes program. This is in conjunction with AGC of America’s partnership with the program having set a goal of adding 100,000 veterans over the next five years to the construction industry workforce. You can learn more at
Hiring Our Heroes.
Be sure to check out AGC Georgia’s
education services.
As an AGC Georgia member firm, you have an opportunity to benefit from, sponsor and/or participate in one or more of the following with regard to construction workforce development.
To learn more about how you and your firm can get involved in specific workforce development initiatives, contact Cherri Watson at 678.298.4104 or
watson@agcga.org.