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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Office of Economic Development Programs includes Georgia’s economic development incentive training program, Quick Start,
as well as other programs delivered through the Office of Economic Development Programs at each technical college. Continuing education, administration of Georgia’s retraining tax credit, the Certified Economic Developer Trainer (CEDT) program, and new
program incubation also are responsibilities of Economic Development Programs.
Serving Georgia’s new, expanding, and existing industries by delivering the highest quality training as well as developing programs that build a skilled workforce is the major focus of Economic Development Programs.
Quick Start
Quick Start completed 279 projects last year. The number of trainees—a record 35,613 people—is a 4.8 percent increase from FY 99.
Customized Training
In addition to being the primary project management and training liaison for Quick Start projects, Georgia’s technical colleges also
supply customized training for Georgia’s businesses. In FY 00, Economic Development Programs served 1,217 companies, compared to 1,176 companies in FY 99. These cost-recovery services provided 853,253 hours of training for 59,263 trainees in 4,971 courses.
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 Workforce Development
In the four years that Georgia technical colleges have offered workforce development certification programs, the agency has made important contributions to the future of Georgia’s manufacturing, service, and construction industry sectors.
Certified Manufacturing Specialist — CMS
Certified Customer Service Specialist — CCSS
Certified Construction Worker — CCW
By raising the bar for manufacturing, service, and construction industry employees and helping companies succeed, these
programs directly address the requirements of today’s high-tech, high-performance work culture. Some businesses offer premiums if workers become certified, while others promise interviews to prospective employees who hold the certifications. |
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The CCSS program has certified 3,252 people, with 1,278 being certified in FY 00. In FY 00, the CMS program certified 598
people, for a total of 3,441 certified people. Both the CMS and CCSS programs have been used in high schools throughout Georgia. In FY 00, 119 high school students received CMS
certification. To date, 195 high school students in Georgia have received CMS certification. The CCSS program has reached a total of 398 high school students, with 252 students receiving certification in FY 00. CMS Academies are located in Columbus, Savannah, and Americus. CCW programs have certified 266 people, with 215 being certified in FY 00.
The Service Industry Academy—a unique collaboration among businesses, communities, and DTAE—now has facilities in Columbus, Savannah, Atlanta, Rome, and Augusta. More and more companies are requiring existing employees to complete the program, and some tie graduation from SIA to internal promotion.
With the support of the participating business partners, a
curriculum designed to teach basic and advanced skills in
customer relations, and an innovative plan that combines workforce training and high-school students, the SIA has become a vital link in the expansion of Georgia’s trained labor pool. It helps attract new businesses to the state.
Certified Economic Developer Trainer (CEDT)
One CEDT class began in FY 00, with 21 registered in the
program. The 18-month course strengthens the infrastructure for delivery of consistent and high quality training services through Georgia’s system of technical colleges.
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Quick Start Industry Services Advisory Committee
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Frederick Blumer
Blumer International, P.C.
Ken Boyd
NACOM Corporation
Peggy Chapman
Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce
Dennis Chastain
Oglethorpe Power Corporation
Elyse Cochran
Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce
Sam Cook
Georgia Department of Labor
Thomas Croteau
Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism
Jeff Davis
Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission
Tim Martin
Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission
Billy Edenfield
Middle Georgia Technical Institute
Lonnie Edenfield
Stephens County Development Authority
Jim Ewing
Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism
Tim Forse
Cooper Lighting
Joe Freund
Georgia Department of Labor
John Gilman, Sr.
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
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Kim Goff
Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Al Hodge
Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce
Gary Jones
Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce
Stan Kedzierzawski
GNB Technologies
Ted Lawrence
BellSouth
Jim Lenahan
Leo A Daly
Deborah Lohnes
Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism
Mike Lott - Chair
Bank of America
John Malone
Georgia Power Company
Phillip Overton
Brunswick & Glynn County Development Authority
Rosalynne Price
Cox Enterprises, Inc.
Kevin Shea
Metro Augusta Chamber of Commerce
Robin Spratlin
Georgia Power Company
Saralyn Stafford
Douglas Coffee Chamber and Development Authority
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