Education was at the heart of a recent summit in Atlanta and Augusta had a prominent role.
The theme of the 2025 Future of Talent Summit was “Reimagining Education and Talent Development.” It was sponsored by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.
The summit was broken into four education segments, ranging from kindergarten through college level education: Reimagining Early Learning & Childcare, Reimagining K-12 Education, Innovations in Technical Education, and Innovations in Georgia’s Colleges and Universities.
Leading the discussion regarding colleges and universities were Sonny Perdue, Chancellor of the University System of Georgia (USG), and Dr. Russell Keen, President of Augusta University.
Keen said Augusta University, like all USG institutions of higher education, is paying close attention to how employees are expected to engage effectively in the workplace. He said fewer than 25% of high school graduates and just 40% of undergraduates have real work experience.
“Across the country, engaging effectively in the workplace is a big deal, and so for Augusta University, we are engaging in internships, externships,” he said, adding the new model takes a page from how healthcare professionals have been trained for centuries.
“You’ve got clinical rotations, got residencies, and those types of things. Because of that work experience and getting that training, take that same model and put it with other colleges and curriculums, and it works. The training you get, you get the knowledge base, but then you understand how to interface with the work environment.”
Perdue said they are taking notice at the USG level, creating a university system that is in tune with workforce and industry needs.
“We’re much more interested in our customer’s request. We’re actually forming programs specifically for them in that way. So, I think the old state image of universities, where you just come and we tell you what you need to know, is over,” he said. “We see our universities really in the knowledge creation business, and with all the technology changes, these students are getting experimental learning there. One of the things I’ve noticed is how much innovation we have in our undergraduate programs and the research programs that they’re doing. Students sometimes create knowledge that may be commercialized into major companies and major economic development issues later on.”
Perdue said they are hearing from business leaders who say they can teach an employee the skills necessary to do a job. What they need from the education system is teaching problem-solving, how to resolve conflicts, and critical thinking.
While Georgia’s 26 colleges and universities have adapted to address what employers of today want, Keen said the work is not finished. The system must keep asking itself how to make education and training better.
“I think that critical thinking that you’re talking about, Chancellor, is something that employers are talking about. Chancellor, you’ve really promoted the idea that we do interact and engage with industry. Things are changing. They suggest that 25% of the skills needed today will be obsolete in four years. And so, if the skills are changing, we have to stay in touch with industry to get their feedback.”
Chris Clark, President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, cautioned attendees that the state must begin preparing students as early as middle school to be a part of what will be the most diverse, international, and connected workforce in history by 2025.
“That’s why talent and workforce preparedness is the first pillar of the Georgia Chamber’s new GEORGIA | 2050 strategic plan and we program events like the Future of Talent Summit to connect business leaders with education leaders to share what the future will look like. Getting this right is essential so our children and grandchildren can have the opportunities we have,” cautioned Clark.
Clark said the time is fast approaching when a high school diploma will no longer be enough to enter the workforce. Students will need a post-secondary plan for their future, be that technical college, a four-year college degree, or joining the military.
The summit is available online at
