Georgia’s workforce is changing quickly, and the question facing employers, educators and policymakers is how to make sure workers can keep up. That was the focus of a recent MAX Minutes session featuring Daniela Perry, executive director of the Georgia Chamber Foundation. Perry discussed the GeorgiaLAUNCH, an initiative designed to help Georgians better understand pathways into high-demand careers and, just as importantly, how they can advance once they get there. Supported by JPMorgan Chase, the initiative grew out of a recognition that career paths are rarely straight lines. People may enter the workforce through different doors, step away for family reasons, return through a training program or move into a related occupation. The goal is to make those pathways easier to see and navigate.
Key highlights
- Georgia is expected to grow significantly. Perry cited projections that the state could add roughly 2.5 million residents and 3.1 million jobs by 2050.
- Workforce demand is widespread. Growth is occurring across the state, with significant needs in healthcare, manufacturing, construction, transportation, logistics and the skilled trades.
- Career paths are becoming more flexible. The GeorgiaLAUNCH research found substantial overlap in the skills required for several high-demand occupations, creating potential opportunities for workers to move between related careers.
- Employers still need foundational skills. Critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration and adaptability remain among the skills employers say they need most.
- Technical training remains important—but it is only part of the equation. Employers can train workers on company-specific technical requirements, but they increasingly want candidates to arrive with a strong foundation of transferable skills.
- Work-based learning can help bridge the gap. Internships, apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships and other career-exposure programs can give students and job seekers a clearer understanding of what different careers actually look like.
- Employers need more help navigating these programs. Perry said many businesses are unfamiliar with available workforce programs or are unsure how to incorporate them into their HR systems.
- AI is changing the skills equation. As technology takes over more routine tasks, human skills such as critical thinking, communication and problem-solving are likely to become increasingly important.
- Infrastructure will be a major part of managing growth. Perry highlighted transportation, freight and logistics, water and sewer systems, healthcare and education as areas that will need continued investment.
- The goal is mobility, not simply job placement. GeorgiaLAUNCH is focused on helping people understand how their existing skills and credentials can open doors to new opportunities and career advancement.
Perry said the broader challenge is creating a workforce system that is easier for individuals and employers to navigate. That means giving students and job seekers better information about career options, helping employers develop effective work-based learning programs, and making it easier to recognize skills that transfer from one occupation to another. The conversation also underscored the importance of preparing workers for an economy where change is accelerating. As Perry put it, employers can teach many of the technical aspects of a particular job, but workers also need the ability to think critically, solve problems, communicate and adapt. For Georgia, the challenge ahead is not simply filling today’s jobs—it is building a workforce that can continue to move with the economy as the state grows.
Special thanks to MAX board lead for the MAX Minutes series Amy Lancaster-King, Principal & Chief Consultant, Long Game Solutions, LLC for hosting this conversation.
Click here for the presentation slides.
Click here for the recording.
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Launched in 2014, the mission of MAX is to advance economic resilience in the Atlanta region by strengthening connections, collaborations, and practices among workforce developers and organizations engaged in workforce development.
Through our webinar series, MAX Minutes, MAX seeks to bring timely insights to providers, intermediaries, and other partners in workforce. MAX Minutes features talks by key experts in the Atlanta region and beyond on important workforce matters.