Workforce & Education 2024

                                    2024 Summer Youth Works Sponsored by GovStrive 

                                                                                    Sponsored by:

                                                                                  2024 Partners:

"Empowering Our Youth While Investing in Our Community"

Summer Youth Works, sponsored by GovStrive is starting its fifth year.  Along with GovStrive, Summer Youth Works is a strategic partnership between the business community, the City of Dublin, Dublin-Laurens County Chamber of Commerce, Laurens County Board of Education and Dublin City Schools to help provide summer employment for youth ages 16 to 19.

The program runs from June 3rd - 7th for soft skills week and work will begin June 10th through July 26th, 2024. This program  provides gainful opportunities for local youth, connecting them with potential employers, and providing positive role models and structured activities.

Applications close on May 3, 2024.

To view the graduation for students that were selected for job placement for Summer 2023, Click Here.

If you  are a business interested in partnering with the program for 2024, please use the following Link to register to participate:

Business Registration

If you are a student interested in participating in the upcoming program 2024, please use the following link to register to participate:

Youth Registration

Students in Business

What is Students in Business?

The Chamber, City and County Schools have joined forces to develop this unique career training program for students in the Career, Technical, Agriculture Education programs in our high schools. Select students from the various programs will be visiting businesses related to their field of study. The program is very structured with a goal of giving them insight into:

•             Career paths available
•             Skills needed
•             The education needed
•             The variety of jobs/professions in various businesses
•             Salary expectations
•             Job market now and in the future
•             What working in these businesses is like
•             What professionals think they can do to prepare themselves

How do you organize the students?
The students are grouped by the type of program they are in. For example, Construction, Engineering and Agriculture.

How large are the groups?
Between 10-15 students per field of study. A Chamber representative and a school counselor will accompany each group.

Why are you doing this?
Every day we hear about the struggles local employers have finding qualified workers. This is an opportunity for the businesses to share with student their needs and what’s available for these students, with the goal of creating a stronger workforce.

If you or your business is interested in sponsoring or participating in this program, please contact Heath Taylor at htaylor@dublin-georgia.com

                                                                                  SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

UGA SBDC Re-Launches Signature SBDC StartSmart™ Program in Virtual Format

The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a Public Service and Outreach unit of the University of Georgia, has re-launched the SBDC StartSmart™ Program in a virtual, live learning format. The educational program, paired with expert consulting from SBDC professionals, is designed to assist those who are planning a business or have been in business for less than two years.

StartSmart™  will be held in a series of live virtual sessions that will facilitate discussion, class engagement and mastery of content. The course includes access to online business planning software and specially-trained UGA SBDC consultants. Over the course of the program, participants will:

• Evaluate and refine business concept
• Research markets and competition
• Develop a financial forecast to improve chances of success
• Create a thorough, practical business plan
• Acquire marketing strategies and information on acquiring capital from banks and investors
• Stay on track with continued engagement from SBDC consultants

The UGA SBDC Macon Office will host StartSmart™  for the Central Georgia region starting May 4. StartSmart™  takes place in a series of eight virtual learning modules – conducted live with SBDC Macon consultants –  twice a week for four weeks, every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (May 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, & 27).

“If you recently started a small business, the SBDC StartSmart™ Program can help you develop your plans and move forward, gain knowledge of critical business fundamentals and build a framework for a successful business operation,” said SBDC Macon Area Director Lisa Rackley. “We are excited to modify this signature program to a virtual format and still maintain a live, interactive experience that will facilitate engagement among participants.”

Please be advised seating is limited and participants MUST complete an application to be considered for the SBDC StartSmart™ Program. The cost of the program is $99 per participant. No applications will be accepted after class max has been reached.

Go to www.georgiasbdc.org/startsmart for complete details and to apply online. You may also contact Trudy Lawrence at (478) 757-3609 or email; tlawrence@georgiasbdc.org.

Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the University of Georgia. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the SBDC at 478-757-3609 or write: Trudy Lawrence, UGA SBDC 4875 Riverside Drive, Suite 202 Macon, GA 31210.

The key to Georgia’s economic prosperity is a reliable and consistent workforce. Therefore, one of the Georgia Department of Labor’s (GDOL) fundamental goals is to equip Georgia’s future workforce with the skills they need to succeed in the global marketplace. As such, Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler developed GeorgiaBEST (Business Employability Skills Training) for citizens across the state. GeorgiaBEST focuses on the employability skills needed in the workplace as identified by Georgia businesses. The program was developed in 2011 and piloted in 20 high schools in 2012. The number of participating high schools grew exponentially, middle schools were added in 2013, and Adult Education/GED programs came on board in 2014. In 2016, Commissioner Butler decided to take the program to the next level. Based on employer feedback, GeorgiaBEST has now expanded to a three-pronged approach: GeorgiaBEST@School, GeorgiaBEST@Work, and GeorgiaBEST@Home. GeorgiaBEST is presented in a train-the-trainer format that empowers teachers, training managers, facilitators, parents, and others to teach employability skills to their students, employees, participants, or children. Those who become part of the GeorgiaBEST community have exclusive access to GeorgiaBEST training manuals, videos, lesson plans, and additional teaching materials and resources. (READ MORE)