Good Morning!

Below you will find a press release by the Georgia Department of Economic Development regarding the recent launch of the High Demand Career Initiative workforce assessment (Georgia.org/WorkforceAssessment). This survey will help us to identify specific short- and long-term workforce needs from employers in Georgia. We are asking for your help to reach out to the existing industries in your county to encourage their participation with this assessment. The assessment was designed to allow someone to start, save and return to the assessment and/or collaborate with others within their organization though sharing the link upon saving the assessment.

Additionally, the next round of listening sessions for the High Demand Career Initiative will be August 17, 2015 at Chattahoochee Technical College-North Metro Campus and August 19, 2015 at Clayton State University with sessions in Albany and Savannah later in the year. The agendas are being finalized and will be forwarded when made available.

State Seeks Further Input from Georgia Businesses to Identify Workforce Needs
Atlanta, July 13, 2015- The Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Workforce division launched a High Demand Career Initiative (HDCI) interactive tool on Georgia.org today. Through the new HDCI assessment, the state is seeking input from Georgia employers, of all sizes, to better identify workforce needs now and in the future. As a leading state in economic development, Georgia seeks to provide a skilled and sustainable workforce to existing, expanding or newly located businesses by further identifying the needs within the state’s workforce infrastructure.
“The launch of the High Demand Career Initiative served as a vital tool in equipping our state partners with the insight needed to respond to the workforce needs of participating companies and industries,” said Commissioner Carr, Georgia Department of Economic Development. “This new assessment tool will expand the initiative’s outreach across the state and allow more Georgia-based companies to provide us with information needed to help grow their businesses.”
The HDCI final report, released in December 2014, confirmed that there are growing workforce needs in high demand sectors across the state. In order to continue the conversation, Georgia companies are being asked to visit Georgia.org/WorkforceAssessment to submit information regarding: the specific occupations anticipated to demand the largest number of new employees, the occupations that are the most difficult to fill, the critical soft/workplace skills most needed, as well as additional details regarding the nature of their workforce challenges.
As a result of the 13 original HDCI meetings, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia have announced an expansion of the Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant (SIWDG), the addition of computer programming to satisfy core requirements in high schools across the state, the establishment of the Georgia Film Academy and the creation of the University System of Georgia’s Cyber Security Initiative.
“The HDCI assessment will help streamline the focus of workforce services at the state, regional and local levels,” said Deputy Commissioner Ben Hames, Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Workforce division. “This tool will expand the public-private dialogue and support our efforts moving forward.”
The information collected from the HDCI assessment will enable the state to map the needs of employers by region, thus, further aiding the establishment of workforce development initiatives to better serve communities throughout the state.
For more information about the High Demand Career Initiative visit Georgia.org/HDCI.