One reason why Georgia has a top-rated workforce is each group involved in developing one works together, not separately.  

Take Mercedes Benz, for example. The German behemoth will soon open the doors to its new North American headquarters in Sandy Springs, and it wants to ensure it has plenty of skilled labor in Georgia, its new home.

It’s helping create a pipeline of workers by joining forces with Gwinnett Technical College to create the Mercedes-Benz College Automotive Program, a workforce development project designed to equip and prepare students for jobs with the car company, according to the AJC. 

“Our mission is workforce development,” Mary Beth Byerly, Gwinnett Tech’s vice president of institutional advancement, told the AJC. “If new companies want to build their workforces, we want to be at the table about what their needs might be. When Mercedes-Benz relocated to Sandy Springs, we worked with them to train a lot of the new employees. They also needed a training program, and we realized we could help with that, too.”

This is a perfect example of how two seemingly unconnected groups have come together to create a workforce development partnership in Georgia. Gwinnett Tech students are getting hands-on training on some of the most modern automobiles in the world. In turn, Mercedes Benz is creating a pipeline for mechanics in Georgia.

There are 13 official Mercedes Benz dealers in Georgia, and each one needs skilled mechanics. Entering Gwinnett Tech’s program won’t guarantee employment, but it’ll give graduates a major advantage for sure.

Remember when CNBC ranked Georgia the No. 2 state in the U.S. for business? One of the reasons we ranked so highly was due to that same survey ranking Georgia’s workforce as the best in the nation.

Integrated partnerships like the Mercedes-Benz College Automotive Program at Gwinnett Tech is a large reason why Georgia’s workforce has become a dominant force in economic development. Companies have realized that partnering with Technical College System of Georgia insitutions is one of the best ways to ensure a pipeline of skilled labor is available in their backyard. 

For more information about Gwinnett Technical College’s Automotive Technology programs, visit GwinnettTech.edu.