Editor’s note: As Dr. Rick Franza reported, Georgia is once again getting high marks as one of America’s Top States for Business. This story follows up on how Augusta is plugging into the Education and Workforce rankings.
Two of Georgia’s highest rankings put the Augusta metro at the forefront of the Education and Workforce categories with rankings of #8 and #4 respectively.
“Workforce, obviously from the Chamber’s perspective, it’s comforting to see that we ranked fourth overall in the workforce,” Russell Lahodny, President and CEO of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce observed to ABD. “We’re a growing community, especially here in Columbia County and the CSRA, and so we are able to kind of address some of the growing workforce needs, but it’s something that we certainly need to keep our eye on.”
Lahodny said the Augusta region has a unique opportunity to grow and train an attractive workforce because educational and training opportunities abound.
“We have a pretty special thing going on with our schools, our high schools and even our middle schools are so tied into the CTAE (Career Technical and Agricultural Education) programs and helping kind of get our students in pathways,” he said. “And I would say one of the unique benefits of our area is how well our educational institutions work together. At the end of the day, we’re all in this together.”
Partnerships reach across all educational platforms, including Augusta University, Augusta Technical College, the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center, and local school districts. It even reaches across state lines to USC Aiken and Aiken Technical College where residents of Richmond and Columbia counties are eligible for in-state tuition.
One of the most recent facilities to join the local education menu is the Junior Achievement Discovery Center. A joint project between the Columbia County School District and Richmond County School System, the center opened on January 11 on Riverwatch Parkway. It targets middle school students and brings together nearly 30 businesses, governments, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations.
“A critical piece of the puzzle is starting them early,” said Lahodny. “In the chamber industry, we talk to our brothers and sisters across the country who are doing different programs, and there are a lot of states where they’re implementing CTAE-type material all the way down into preschool. Start talking about careers, at a fundamental, basic level with kids as young as preschool. You catch them while they’re in that prime spot where they are just a sponge. They soak everything in. It doesn’t have to be a full-on lecture, but just start planting seeds.”
Still to come is the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering facility, developed by Augusta Tech and to be built in Columbia County.
“That’s going to be a vital piece, especially moving forward and maintaining our attractiveness to the business community, because we’ll have a state-of-the-art facility that can train the workforce that’s going to be needed in this region, so that piece is critical,” Lahodny explained. “We need to continue to move the needle on that and make sure we see it through to fruition.”
The budget signed by Governor Brian Kemp (R) in 2023 included $2.7 million for design funding. The facility will be 81,000 square feet with programs ranging from engineering technology programs to chemical technology and mechatronics/robotics.
Lahodny said another selling point for Georgia, based on the CNBC study, is its #1 ranking in infrastructure. He said it demonstrates the state is thinking ahead to support a growing community.
“I think we’re just on the right track, and we’ve got a lot of great opportunities here. And Georgia is open for business,” he said.
