Goodwill and Helms College are ready to train and graduate 400 more skilled workers in HVAC, Refrigeration, and Electrical trades. That’s all thanks to a $1 million benefactor.
BlackRock Future Builders, a national philanthropic initiative funded by The BlackRock Foundation, is providing the money. Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA is one of 15 organizations to be selected from more than 1,000 applications for grants nationwide.
The grant will help Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA expand its established HVAC/R diploma program at the current Helms College campuses in Macon and Augusta. It will also support the launch of a new Electrician Technician diploma program at the Helms College Macon campus and the expansion of the existing Electrician Technician program at the Helms College Augusta campus. Funding will equip training labs for hands-on learning, support additional instructors, and help students overcome barriers, including transportation, with the goal of increasing annual skilled-trades enrollment capacity from 240 to 640 students.
Goodwill of Middle Georgia plans on reaching its enrollment goals by the end of 2028.
Busby’s Heating and Air is one of the local HVAC companies to hire entry-level technicians after graduation.
“We are deeply grateful for BlackRock’s generous support. This grant will make a meaningful difference in communities across Middle Georgia and the CSRA. Local employers urgently need trained workers to fill open positions, while job seekers need access to education and skills that lead to stable, meaningful employment. By reducing barriers such as transportation and providing hands-on immersion training, we can help more people enter the workforce, support their families, and achieve greater financial stability,” said Dr. John C. David, Board Chair of Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA.
About Goodwill of Middle Georgia and the CSRA
Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA, a non-profit 501c3 charity, builds lives, families, and communities one career at a time by helping people develop their God-given gifts through education, work, and career services. More than 86 cents of every dollar of Goodwill revenue underwrites job training and placement services within the agency’s 35-county service delivery area. visit www.goodwillworks.org.
About Helms College
Helms College is a nonprofit, accredited career college operated by Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA. With campuses in Augusta and Macon and plans for future expansion, the college provides hands-on education in high-demand fields.
For more information, please visit www.helms.edu.
