This article first appeared in The Brunswick News.

Business Retention Expansion Presentation John Scott

John Scott shares best practices from Glynn County, GA for business retention and expansion with newly elected County Commissioners from ACCG.

Industry Retention, Expansion Requires Work

By LINDSEY ADKISON The Brunswick News

For John Scott, making sure Glynn County’s manufacturers are happy is a top priority. In fact, it’s his job description.

As the manager of business retention and expansion for the Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority, Scott faces a considerable challenge of keeping some of the area’s largest employers satisfied. Even so, Scott says the first step is relatively simple — meet with key players and start a conversation.

“Making sure our existing industries stay local and expand starts with a very simple process — we talk to them. In the economic development industry we call this business retention and expansion and the concept is built entirely around the ‘industry visit,’” he said.

“The primary goal of an industry visit is to ensure that we maintain an open line of communication with top level management and identify any potential red flags or issues that may become a reason for moving or closing down.”

Even so, Scott knows that there are many instances where circumstances out of their control will take a company away. But he, along with the group’s interim director Mel Baxter, both put in face time with industry leaders, trying to mitigate any issues as early as possible.

“Every business is different and has different needs so there’s no one solution for business retention and expansion. The development authority has tools that could aid in keeping a business local, tools that we also use to attract new companies,” Scott said.

“However, it’s important to realize that companies make relocation decisions based on factors that are largely out of our control, such as headquarters consolidating operations or needing more immediate access to a customer or supplier. If we identify red flags early enough, we have a better chance of successfully addressing their challenges.”

One of the most common challenges for all manufacturers is the workforce. Scott says many companies are losing employees who are reaching retirement age.

“Many of our local existing industries have employees with a tremendous amount of experience. I know of at least two companies that have employees that have been with them for 40 years,” he said.

“On average, about 20 percent of the local manufacturing workforce is eligible for retirement or will be very soon. Replacing that much talent and skill at one time is not an easy task.”

Scott says that many employers don’t feel the workforce is what it once was either. They say that many young workers lack both the technical knowledge as well as critical soft skills like how to dress and act on the job.
“I hear this all the time. The five most important skills a potential employee can have is showing up on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday,” he said.

Rich Products Student Industry Tour Golden Isles Career Academy

Students from the Golden Isles Career Academy tour the Rich Products production facility in Brunswick, Georgia.

Scott says the authority is working with local technical programs like the Golden Isles Career Academy, Altamaha Technical College and the new Coastal Pines facility to ensure industries are getting top quality workers to replace those they are losing. Soft skills, he adds, are a big part of that curriculum, as is creating programs that cater to the technical skills employers like Gulfstream are seeking in new hires.

College of Coastal Georgia is another feather in the authority’s cap. It can help businesses reel in better educated employees. Scott says education has become one of the top elements in retaining and expanding business.

“In the economic development industry, it’s becoming very clear that workforce development is economic development. A huge part of the development authority’s efforts, time, and money are spent supporting the development of our workforce training institutions,” he said.

“As a community, I think we’ve done a tremendous job. We have the pieces in place to ensure that Glynn County can continue to be an economic power house for the region.”

This article first appeared in The Brunswick News.

Reporter Lindsey Adkison writes about business and other local topics. Contact her at ladkison@thebrunswicknews.com on Facebook or at 265-8320 ext. 346.