Have you thought about a career change, but don’t think you have the necessary skills? Have you recently been laid off? Are you frustrated by earning minimum wage, but feel you’re stuck at that level? If so, you need to get to know Georgia’s Workforce Division.

Have you heard of the Workforce Division? If so, great! We’re super excited about that. If not, you should check us out, because we might be just what you need to land a better career.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Workforce Division administers the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) under the leadership of the State Workforce Development Board (SWDB). Their goal is to improve the quality of job training and marketability of Georgia’s workforce for the economic growth of the state.

Or in terms we can all understand: We want to ensure you are trained and prepared to be the best workforce in the country, thereby attracting as much business to Georgia. And in the event you are laid off or your place of work shuts down, the Rapid Response team is in place to walk you through the various options at your disposal. To do this we disperse funds to various organizations to help cover the cost of hundreds of programs around the state.

The Georgia Workforce Division has 19 local workforce investment areas located around the state to better serve Georgians. Within these areas are more than 40 full-service career centers. The 19 Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDAs) positioned within each region of the state serve as the “boots” on the ground and are your first points of contact for tapping into the rewarding employment-driven resources offered through WorkSource Georgia. Regardless of where you live in Georgia, there is a WorkSource Georgia Career Center or One-Stop nearby to assist with your employment needs.

WorkSource Georgia provides services to both individuals as well as employers. Individuals can gain access to a number of training and employment service programs, such as support for skills training at educational providers such as the Technical College System of Georgia, or may be placed directly into work based learning programs where they learn while on the job as a full time employee. Businesses can utilize WorkSource Georgia programs which may help recruit and train qualified applicants, assist with training new hires during their first few months on the job, or even up-skill their current workforce to support growth and reduce the risk of dislocations.

The global economy is changing. A state’s workforce needs to be able to change with it. That’s the broad goal of what we do. We want to provide efforts that enable Georgia citizens to fulfill the needs of the modern economy.   

That’s a lofty goal, right? (Yes it is, but why not shoot for the stars?). Georgia is a hub for some of the largest companies in the world. There are 18 Fortune 500 companies that call Georgia home. The state is also becoming a national hub for the IT and cybersecurity industries.

There are (and will be) many jobs available within the state, but what if the workforce isn’t up to snuff? What if a company isn’t sold on moving to Georgia because the base of talent isn’t what it needs to be? Our goal is to ensure that never happens. We want the blue-collar workforce of Georgia to be second to none.

Site Selection Magazine has named Georgia the No. 1 state to do business four years in a row, and is a leading state for workforce. A thriving workforce is a big reason why Georgia has earned this distinction.  

The Workforce Division is here to serve you, the people and businesses that make Georgia a great place to live, work and play. Our goal is to ensure that when Georgia employers are seeking talented individuals to meet their workforce needs, you are equipped with the skills, education and training necessary to rise to the occasion.

This is only a brief, limited overview of what the Workforce Division under the WorkSource Georgia program can do for employees and employers. There are several more initiatives we’ll discuss in this space moving forward. From the High Demand Career Initiative aimed at careers in the modern economy, to Operation Workforce targeted at finding careers for former military members, there are several additional programs aimed at the same thing: To make Georgia’s workforce the best in the nation.

Your next career opportunity may be more attainable than you think. All you have to do is reach out. We are WorkSource Georgia, and we work to connect talent with opportunity.