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An educated workforce is our best resource," said Governor Zell Miller before a captivated audience of legislators, members of the business community, employers and friends of literacy at the closing session of Georgia's Workforce Development Conference. 1998 marked Georgia's seventh presentation of the Governor’s Awards for Achievement in Workplace Learning. Governor Miller has been on hand to personally present each of the Governor’s- Awards for Achievement in Workplace Learning. Sponsored by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, Office of Adult Literacy, the conference was held at The Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, October 7-8, 1998. The opening session featured a luncheon talk from Georgia Commissioner of Labor Marti Fullerton. Ms. Fullerton discussed the importance of interaction between the departments of Labor, Education, and Technical and Adult Education. She concluded by applauding the contribution literacy has made in ensuring an educated and productive workforce. The Award for Workforce Literacy Student of the Year was presented to Mr. Kent Jordan, a native of Perry, Georgia, who is employed by the City of Warner Robbins in the Public Works Department. He is a 1997 GED graduate and winner of the local literacy competition in Peach County. Jordan was recognized as the Workforce Literacy Student of the Year because he successfully met each of the required criteria. Jordan was also recognized for having overcome hardships, being an EAGLE Award Winner, receiving a job promotion as a result of his hard work and accomplishments, and his active and continued involvement in all aspects of adult education, including recruiting other adults to the literacy program.
On the first day of the conference, six workshops were presented by Governor's Award-winning organizations. The second day offered twelve round table discussion groups facilitated by community and business leaders, local elected officials, and workplace educators.
The Governor and First Lady received special recognition from conference participants for their support of adult education and leadership over the years. OAL Workplace Coordinator Len Moore said the Governor's Awards have seen a steady increase in numbers since implementation in 1991. To date, 377 Gold Awards and 130 Platinum Awards have been presented. The Gold Awards were ear-marked for those organizations which have developed and implemented a workplace learning program. The Platinum Awards were given to organizations in which a minimum of 85 percent of employees have been assessed at an eighth grade reading level or higher. |  Governor Zell Miller speaks to educators and students at the 1998 Workforce Conference
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