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Champion Workforce Development

Champion Workforce Development

Strengthening Georgia’s Construction Workforce

We work on behalf of member contractors to grow and strengthen Georgia's construction workforce. Through strategic investments in education, training, and career pathways, we help ensure a pipeline of skilled workers who are ready to meet industry demands.

As Georgia’s economy grows and new projects break ground, our members rely on us to support their workforce needs—today and into the future. That’s why workforce development remains a top priority at both the state and national levels.

AGC Georgia aligns with AGC of America’s broad approach to “workforce development,” which focuses on two key areas:
  • Initiatives that encourage, educate and expose students in elementary, middle or high school to the multitude of career opportunities in construction

  • Initiatives that help prepare young people for their first jobs in the industry, either through craft training, technical school training, apprenticeship programs, or two and four-year college programs.

Key Principles for a Sustainable Construction Workforce

AGC Georgia collaborates with construction industry employers and partnering stakeholders, including the Department of Education, Technical College System of Georgia, and Construction Ready to move these principles forward.

Good Workforce Development is Good Economic Development

  • Coordinate a statewide strategy

  • Increase state funding supporting career and technical education

  • Provide quality training and education

  • Create consistency of graduates regardless of institution

  • Align skills training with job opportunities

  • Support work-based learning

  • Increase number of students transitioning from high school to technical colleges

Get Involved

There are 258 construction programs in Georgia’s K-12 public school system. This includes 13 elementary programs, 12 middle school programs, and 233 high school programs. Of these, 81 high school programs are industry certified.

Representatives from numerous member firms are engaging with these K-12 programs, along with the construction-related programs on campuses throughout the state’s 22 Technical College System of Georgia campuses. 

Reach out to your local construction program to get involved, or speak with Tim Hobbs, Member Engagement and Workforce Specialist, at 678-298-4122 or hobbs@agcga.org to get connected.

Ways to connect with students throughout Georgia's school systems . . .

  • Invite classes for jobsite tours throughout all phases of a project near their school

  • Participate in school career fairs/recruiting events and organize mock interviews to help teach soft skills

  • Serve on high school program advisory boards

  • Offer for your firm's trade professionals to demonstrate and help teach specific lessons with instructors

  • Coordinate with local supply houses to donate and deliver materials for construction lab building projects

  • Partner with elementary, middle and high school STEM programs to expose students to construction career paths

  • Support AGC Georgia Skills Challenges and SkillsUSA Georgia trade competitions

  • Participate in Construction Ready's K-12 Pipeline, their student employment efforts, and annual Career Expo which hosts 7,000 students

  • Donate money to instructors for tools/materials or to attend professional development workshops

  • Arrange for members of your team from all ranks to serve as guest speakers at schools to share their career path

Workforce Development Alliances

AGC Georgia is committed to leading our industry’s efforts in growing a sustainable pipeline of talent by working with contractors throughout Georgia within our Workforce Development Alliances.

Alliances are open to member involvement in these regions:
  • Central Georgia

  • East Georgia

  • Metro Atlanta

  • Northeast Georgia

  • Northwest Georgia

  • Southeast Georgia

  • Southwest Georgia

  • West Georgia

Workforce Development Alliances are designed to bring Chapter members together with students, high school counselors and construction program teachers, school officials, and instructors from construction programs at technical colleges. The focus of regular meetings and activities is to open up a dialogue that will address mutual needs and develop opportunities for exposing more young people to the construction industry.

Members take an active role in providing funds to support the various educational activities embraced by the alliances.

They also contribute:
  • Project materials and industry-grade tools

  • Industry professionals as guest instructors

  • Time speaking with students at career fairs

  • Field trips to active jobsites

If you and your firm are interested in getting involved with one or more of these alliances, contact Tim Hobbs, Member Engagement Workforce Specialist.

Partnering Organizations

By meeting with local groups and statewide organizations, we are working with AGC Georgia members to encourage more young people to consider careers in construction, attract more workers to skilled trades, and help support the technical schools and high school construction programs in Georgia. You are encouraged to explore the many ways your company can get engaged in these initiatives.
Organization What do they do?
Construction Ready  Construction Ready is a not-for-profit organization focused on building a skilled construction workforce. From school clubs to intensive training to hiring fairs, Construction Ready work serves the greater goal of elevating the trades and connecting committed individuals with great-paying construction jobs.
Department of Education Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) CTAE education is preparing Georgia's students for the next step after high school. Students can choose from over 100 career pathways within dozens of Georgia Career Clusters.
Georgia Association for Career and Technical Education (GACTE) GACTE is an advocate for career, technical, and agricultural education by encouraging and organizing teachers to become a collective voice to influence the issues and policies impacting CTAE education.
Hiring Our Heroes In conjunction with AGC of America's partnership with the program having set a goal of adding 100,000 veterans to the construction industry workforce, AGC Georgia encourages member firms to consider hiring our nation's veterans through the Hiring Our Heroes program.
MAGIC Camps Mentoring a Girl in Construction (MAGIC) summer camps are nationwide free, one-week, day camps offering high school age girls the opportunity to learn about the opportunities available to women in the construction industry.
SkillsUSA Georgia  SkillsUSA is a national, nonprofit student organization developing workers through active partnerships between employers and educators. The SkillsUSA State Championship is held in conjunction with Construction Ready's CareerExpo held during the first quarter of each year in downtown Atlanta.
Trade & Industrial Educators of Georgia (TIEGA)  TIEGA was formed to create a skills workforce through professional opportunities provided for CTAE teachers and provide support for SkillsUSA.
Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) The Technical College System of Georgia oversees the state's technical colleges and economic and workforce development programs.