A new cohort of 50 nurses and patient care technicians is ready to be snapped up by a healthcare industry hungry for staff. Mike Petchenik has more in today’s Biz Bits.
Editor’s note: Big movies have continued to roll out this month in an effort to catch some Academy Award-winning buzz. We felt it would be timely to repeat a story about Oscar history and what to look for as Hollywood’s biggest night approaches. As we near the end of the year, Hollywood studios are preparing to roll out their newest flock of contenders for the 2024 Awards Season. The period between October and January is, historically, the most bloated (and frantic) time for new movie releases, as companies cram to
Our very own, Dr. Simon Medcalfe led an annual economic discussion at Augusta University this month. Mike Petchenik explains what he spoke about what experts are saying about the area’s economy in today’s edition of BizBits.
The Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) grew by 0.5 percent in 2022 from 2021, according to a recent news release from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is the market value of all final goods and services produced in the MSA in 2022 was $28.4 billion. The fastest growth was seen in arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services, growing at 12.9 percent. The arts, entertainment, and recreation sector, which makes up about 25 percent of the overall industry, grew at a stellar 30.8 percent.
Skills continue to grow in the area as Augusta Technical College plans to launch three diverse programs at the start of this Spring 2024 semester. The Cyber Crime Specialist, Junior Web Developer, and Specialty Printing classes are technical certificate credit (TCC) programs. “It meets more of a specific need,” explained Dr. Tammy O’Brien, Dean of the School of Cyber and Design Media. “This is a great way for students to begin at one point, and then advance further into the degrees that we offer, that these three TCCs are actually
Businesses can often find it difficult to find and bid on lucrative government contracts, but there’s a nationwide network of experts ready to help. Augusta is home to an office of the Georgia Tech APEX Accelerator, one of 300 local offices for a program previously called the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers. Nationwide, there are more than 90 APEX Accelerators. “APEX Accelerator provides technical assistance and procurement advice to businesses,” explained Dave Hepner, the counselor in the Augusta office. “We have a great deal of clients that are just beginning, and
Let’s be honest here. In the time period between Halloween and the New Year, everyone is running an emotional and stress-filled gauntlet. You’ll attend more family gatherings in these four months than you did in all of the months before. This entails cooking, planning, cleaning, and not to mention the mental preparation needed to withstand all of your deranged family members. Just days after Thanksgiving it is time to hang Christmas lights, replace your fall decorations (that you just put out) with Christmas decorations, and if you’re like most people,
Home sweet home! Mike Petchenik shares how local soldiers are making their way home to their families this season in today’s edition of BizBits.
Editor’s note: I remember all the years I worked in television and would get off on a Friday night after the 11 p.m. news and drive to my mother and daddy’s farm in Tennessee. The holidays were especially magical because my three sisters and their families would be there to celebrate. It was a three-bedroom house with one bathroom. Cramped? A little. But, it really was and still is the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday travel rush has begun, whether you are heading to visit family by
Several memories from past Christmas seasons have recently come to mind. My Mom had a habit of wrapping gifts at the last minute. Often, the process happens within hours of a family gathering. We’d see her toss wrapping paper, tape, and bows on her bed, and close the door. It would stay shut until she was finished with the whirlwind wrapping process. Somehow, she was ready when the door swung open minutes before the gift-giving began. I’m still kind of impressed. When I was in 8th grade, I decided to
