Introducing WorkSource Southwest Georgia's Newsletter! Look for it in your email inbox about once a month and check out our news and upcoming events. 
Welcome to WorkSource Southwest Georgia!  
WorkSource Southwest Georgia provides workforce services to businesses and job seekers in the Southwest Georgia region, home to 14 counties and 44 cities within them. Our daily mission is to build for our region a world-class workforce system that sustains and encourages economic growth.
Message From the Director...
It’s an exciting time in Southwest Georgia for workforce development. Numerous opportunities are unfolding such as funding to upskill Dislocated Workers and funding to assist youth through the YouthBuild grant administered by the Albany Housing Authority. The YouthBuild grant will support pre-apprenticeships that will educate and train young people, from ages 16 to 24, who are neither enrolled in school nor in the labor market for jobs in high-demand industries. These industries include the construction industry, for which YouthBuild grants will help deliver education and training to enable students to use their abilities to build or rehabilitate affordable housing in their communities for low-income or unhoused families.

Harvey Mackay said “Your workforce is your most valuable asset. The knowledge and skills they have represent the fuel that drives the engine of business, and you can leverage that knowledge.”

Talent Management Institute released an article entitled “7 Human Resource Trends Shaping 2024 and Beyond.” As organizations adapt to new challenges, technologies, and work paradigms, HR trends are rapidly evolving to meet the needs of the future workforce. Before 2020, HR was mostly focused on traditional personnel management, compliance, and routine administrative tasks. The HR landscape, as of now, has evolved into a strategic partner, leveraging advanced technologies like AI and data analytics to make data-driven decisions. It now prioritizes employee well-being, diversity, and inclusion while fostering agile work arrangements. The future trends of HR will further prioritize continuous learning and upskilling to keep pace with rapidly changing job requirements. Ultimately, HR's role will extend beyond the confines of HR departments, becoming integral to an organization's strategic success and shaping the workforce of tomorrow.

The coming year will undeniably bring a big wave of transformation in Human Resources, shaping the future in multiple ways. Here are the top 7 HR trends that you must look for in 2024:

  1. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
  2. Work flexibility with Hybrid and Remote Work Adaptation
  3. Evolving and Workforce with AI (Artificial Intelligence)
  4. Data-Driven Decision-Making
  5. Including Fitness In Work-life Balance
  6. Continuous Learning-Upskilling and Relearning
  7. Effective Talent Management-Skill-based hiring

It’s Time to Make a Difference!

WorkSource Southwest Georgia was awarded the Quest Grant in May 2023 to assist with those who are:
Displaced Workers (Laid off)
Long Term Unemployed
Experience Reduction in Work Hours
 
Who Do We Serve?
 
*Adults,
*Dislocated Workers,
*Youth (In-School and Out of School)
 
Do not hesitate to refer individuals to the program to determine eligibility and suitability for WIOA services.
 
Please send referrals for Adults and Dislocated Workers to:
Cathy Johnson, Project Manager email: Cathy.Johnson@equusworks.com
 
Opportunity for Out-School Youth!
  • Do you know a youth between the age of 16 -24 years old?
  • Did not complete High School?
  • A youth who is within the age of compulsory school attendance, but has not attended school for at least the most recent complete school year calendar quarter;
  • A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low income individual and is basic skills deficient or an English language learner;
  • An individual who is subject to the juvenile or adult justice system;
  • A homeless individual;
  • An individual who is pregnant or parenting;
  • A youth who is an individual with a disability;
  • A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment.
 
Please send referrals for Out-of-School Youth to:
Shirley Ingram, One-Stop Operator email shirley.ingram@equusworks.com
 
I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the Dream Team (Amanda, Gerlissa, Jerry, Pascha and Rebecca,) for always going above and beyond for both our internal and external customers.

 
Until next time……………………………………Melody Pierce
4th Annual
South Georgia Healthcare Summit
The South Georgia Healthcare Summit was held on February 21, 2024, at the UGA Conference Center in Tifton. This Summit was a joint venture with Southwest Georgia Healthcare Sector Partnership (Region 10) and South Georgia Healthcare Group (Region 11). Theme of the Summit was “A Day in the Life” and was attended by participants from K-12, Post-Secondary, Employers and Community Partners.

The welcome and introduction was given by Melody Pierce, Executive Director, WorkSource Southwest Georgia and Roberta Lovett, Executive Director, WorkSource Southern Georgia.

Karen Kirchler, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Workforce Development, Technical College System of Georgia, gave an overview of the Sector Partnership Initiative.

Jerry Chapman, Co-Project Manager, SWGA Healthcare Partnership and Amy Jones, Project Manager, South Georgia Healthcare Group, gave the Summit Focus and introduced the opening speaker, Lisa Stephens. Ms. Stephens is the Associate VP for Business & Healthcare Technology for Albany Technical College.

Scholarship Announcements were given by Amy Jones and Jerry Chapman for their respective areas. This year's Summit marked the first year for the Scholarship Award Program. The Summit is funded through grants from TCSG, Office of Workforce Development with restrictions that the funds cannot pay for food and refreshments. For the prior year, we reached out for sponsorships to assist with food and refreshments. It was determined that any funds remaining would be used to initiate a scholarship program; one for high school students entering a healthcare related pathway and one for post-secondary students enrolled in a healthcare related pathway. A total of $9,600 was available for our first round of scholarship programs and nearly100 applications were received in response. 16 students received scholarships, 8 from each region.

“Conversations with Non-traditional Programs” panel was moderated by Jane Nestor.
On the Panel were:
Amy Carter Davis, Special Assistant to the President, Southern Regional Technical College
Lance Farlow, Lieutenant and Derric Ogletree, Emergency Services Director, Thomas County

“Conversations with Educators” panel was moderated by Laura Calhoun with AHEC.
On the Panel were:
Kim Bennett Callahan, WBL and YAP, Ware County High School
Kristy Henderson, Director of CTAE and Dual Enrollment, Ben Hill County School System

Vendor Highlights were moderated by Amy Carter Davis, Amy Brock, Bobbie Hester and Donna Haman from Southern Regional Technical College.

“Conversations with Employers” panel was moderated by DeAnnia Clements.
On the Panel were:
Chuck Roberts , Business Development & Community Relations Director, Fellowship Family
Bruce Mattos, Corporate Director of Talent Acquisition, Phoebe Health

The Panel discussions created much interest by show of the participation in the Q&A sessions that followed.

Tammy Bryant with TCSG moderated the next group of speakers which consisted of:
Maurico Soto, PCOM South Georgia, A Journey to Serve Rural Healthcare
Melissa Cruz, VP of Customer Communications, GA Student Finance Committee (GA Match)
Heather Stephens & Nicole Dempsey, VA, Mental Health Committee Work
Sabrina Phelps, College & Career Academy Program Manager, TCSG Secondary Initiatives

Jerry Chapman introduced our Keynote Speaker, Robin Rau – CEO for the Hospital Authority of Miller County

The Summit concluded with a Deep Dive Conversation Among the Audience.

The Summit was a huge success with 290 registered for the event and great feedback collected that will benefit the Healthcare Industry in South Georgia. Plans are already underway for next year’s Summit.
SWGA Healthcare Sector Partnership
Steering Committee
The goal of the Sector Industry Partnership Strategy is to develop an infrastructure of communication and collaboration between the public and private sectors. WorkSource Southwest Georgia was awarded a grant and chose Healthcare for their Sector Strategy with the goal being to understand Healthcare workforce needs. Our purpose is to create a strong healthcare workforce pipeline and fix the current leaks to increase the Healthcare Workforce in Southwest Georgia and keep the jobs and people in our area. Our committee sessions bring together healthcare employers and partners from across the region to learn about their current workforce needs, future needs, desired skills, and how education/workforce development can support their needs. We are working to bring all the necessary players to the table and establish open communication across all areas, including higher education, K-12 schools, and industry leaders. The WorkSource Southwest Georgia Healthcare Sector Partnership team consists of Project Managers, Jerry Chapman and Melody Pierce.
Health Care Sector Partnership
WorkSource Southwest Georgia
The SWGA Healthcare Sector Partnership Steering Committee held a Zoom meeting on January 25th. For the full meeting overview, please contact Jerry Chapman

WorkSource Southwest Georgia Participants: Jerry Chapman

Steering Committee Participants: Sandra Martin, Charlene Brinson, Alysia Cutting, Lisa Stephens, Heather Stephens, Shirley Ingram, Nicole Dempsey, Robert Stark, Larecia Gill, Randae Davis, Latasha Marshall, Candace Hooks, Courtney Proctor

Discussion:
  • Annual Summit (Joint event with Region 11) February 21, 2024 UGA Tifton Conference Center
  • Scholarship Committee ($4,800 for SWGA)
  • Summit Planning Meetings
  • Soft Skills Training Boot Camp/Symposium
  • Website Development
  • Mental Health Sub-Committee
Partner Updates:

Each participant gave updates on their organization.
REAL Skills Day
Regional Employability and Life Skills Day
On February 28th, Albany Technical College hosted REAL (Regional Employability And Life) Skills Day. This event was a collaboration between Great Promise Partnership, WorkSource Southwest Georgia, LifeLink of Georgia and Albany Technical College.

Carla Hawkins with GA Department of Education, Great Promise Partnership welcomed over 200 area students to learn skills from industry leaders to be successful in their future careers.

Break-out Sessions included:
  • Military – SSgt Matthew Rivera
  • Healthcare – Lisa Stephens with Albany Tech and Jerry Chapman with WorkSource Southwest Georgia
  • Agriculture Industry – Megan Verner with Elite Ag
  • Automotive Mechanics – Thomas Gieryics, Gieryics Automotive

“Careers in Demand” Panel included:
  • Logistics/Trucking - Josh Wadkins
  • Manufacturing – Anna Higgs, Woodgrain
  • Healthcare – Nichelle Loud, 818 Diagnostics
  • Facilities Management – Brian Gresham
  • Public Safety – Marcus Glass, Deputy Fire Chief

Lunch was furnished by Courtney Proctor with LifeLink of GA who gave a very informative presentation on organ donations.

Melody Pierce, Executive Director WorkSource Southwest Georgia gave a REAL Skills Activity on Communications to the students.

Albany Technical College President, Dr. Emmett Griswold spotlighted the college and gave inspirational words to the students.

Closing Remarks were given by Carla Hawkins, Great Promise Partnership. Initial plans for this event included hosting a maximum of 50 students. As the planning progressed, so did the participation count. There were 224 students that attended. Thanks to all that helped plan this great event!
Southeastern Employment and Training Association
Spring 2024 Conference

Melody Pierce, Jerry Chapman, Cory Thomas, Cathy Johnson and Shirley Ingram attended the Southeastern Employment Training Association (SETA) Spring Conference held March 10th thru March 13th at the Harrah's Cherokee Resort, Cherokee, North Carolina.

Workforce professionals from eight states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee) converged on Cherokee to network, learn best practices from industry experts, receive legislative updates and gain insight from vendors that specialize in workforce development. SETA strives to work with business and industry to provide workforce professionals with the tools needed to develop a highly skilled and highly trained workforce pipeline.

Throughout the conference, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a diverse array of concurrent sessions, each focused on a specific aspect of workforce development. Topics spanned from leadership development and skills training to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Led by industry leaders and subject matter experts, these sessions provided attendees with actionable insights and best practices to inform their work.

Presentations and discussions included various topics such as: "The Power of Persuasion", "Preparing For Tomorrow, Today: Lessons Learned From 2020", "Retool or Retire", "How AI is Impacting Workforce Development", and many more.

In addition to formal presentations and sessions, the SETA Spring Conference offered numerous networking opportunities for attendees to connect, collaborate, and exchange ideas. Informal gatherings, networking receptions, and interactive exhibits provided valuable avenues for building partnerships and exploring potential collaborations to further advance workforce development efforts across the region.
Business Services Summit
Melody Pierce and Jerry Chapman with WorkSource Southwest Georgia along with Charlene Brinson with WorkSource Georgia, Cathy Johnson and Latasha Marshall with Equus Workforce Solutions attended the WorkSource Georgia Business Services Summit on January 10th & 11th. This was held at the Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Technical College.

Representatives from throughout Georgia joined the many facets included in the WorkSource Georgia/ Office of Workforce Development/ TCSG teams to collaborate, communicate, and educate each other on what everyone is doing in their respective positions.

The first day was focused on connecting WorkSource Georgia to Georgia’s Business Community, reviewing all about WorkSource Georgia Services for businesses. Group activities involved devising the Gameplan for Business Services and discussing WorkSource Georgia in action.

Day two focused on transforming Georgia Businesses through WorkSource Georgia. There were presentations on Modernizing Business Services and Setting the Standard: WorkSource Georgia Approach to Serving Businesses.
Success Stories
The following success stories are provided by our case management team at Equus Workforce Solutions - WorkSource Southwest Georgia. These include actual testimonials.
 Benjamin Massey's Story:
My name is Benjamin Massey, and I am currently enrolled in the WIOA program. This program has helped me tremendously in my efforts to pursue a career in nursing by funding my entire tuition and cost for the program. Before entering the program, I had the stress of trying to come up with a plan to pay for the program by working while also in school. This program relieved that heavy burden from me and allowed me to really focus on my schooling. Not to mention the gas reimbursements for clinical and school days has also provided extra support that I am so thankful for. I would like to mention Mrs. Vanessa Jones, who has been awesome from day one that I had interest in the program and every step of the way. She has thoroughly walked me through each and every step and providing me with the right information and materials. With this I plan to hopefully finish out with my Generic Nursing degree in December, 2024, and the WIOA program has made that possible. This is my success story with this wonderful program. Thank you!
 
                                                                -Benjamin Massey
Yakila Frazier's Story:

 I reached out to the WIOA program for help in my time of need and they were there every step of the way. WIOA reimbursed my gas money from all the school days and clinicals. They reimbursed me for my NCLEX and also paid for my first sets of scrubs once I started working. I couldn't have made this journey without them. School was hard enough, not having to worry about finances made life much easier for me. Again, thanks to the WIOA program because of them I now can call myself Yakila Frazier, RN. 
Joydan Smith's Story:

Hi, my name is Joydan Smith.  The WIOA program was a life saver.  It was hard making ends meet being a full-time college student. This program provided assistance, which was a blessing for me.
Pursuing my dream of becoming a Medical Laboratory Technician, I was required to travel up to 50 miles to and from daily for my clinical rotation at hospitals and for classes. Not only did the program provide assistance with uniforms and gas it also assisted with books and required exams. The WIOA program lifted a weight off of my shoulders. It was one less thing I had to worry about during my final stressful and tedious college career. My case worker, Ms. Vanessa Jones is such a sweet, understanding, and organized person. She made sure to help me out with any questions or concerns despite how insignificant I thought they were. She explained everything to the smallest detail and left no stone unturned.
I am grateful for everything that the WIOA provided me.
Shannon Tarrence's Story:

The WIOA program has helped me a lot throughout these last couple of years. I left public school in 2022 and graduated from a home-school program in 2023. Ever since then, the WIOA program has helped me a lot with finding a job so young. I wanted to start working somewhere within medical, and thanks to the program and my advisor, Crystal, I got my job in medical records. This job has helped me learn new skills, different programs, etc. A huge thanks to WIOA and Crystal for making things easier and being so helpful through the whole process.
Christopher Cooks' Story:

My name is Christopher Cooks. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that was given to me through the WIOA program that helped me gain new skills and made such a significant difference in my life. I was unemployed and could not find work. I was laid off from Proctor Gamble Paper Company and did not know if I would ever find work that would be sufficient to what I was accustomed to. I went into the Albany Department of Labor and asked if they have or know any program that could assist me with work. I was then introduced to Ms. Virginia Jackson that assisted me with work base training program at E&T Porky Bite in Sylvester GA. I attended the interview with that company. I begin the process with completing the WorkSource Georgia Application Process which Ms. Jackson was extremely helpful with explaining the process and the enrollment. To this day, I am gainfully employed with Webstaurantstore as a 1st Line Production Worker. Thank for your services.
Christopher Cooks,
Event & Meeting Schedule

March 10 - 13, 2024: SETA (Southeast Employment Training Association) Conference. Cherokee NC

March 21st, 2024: 6pm - 8pm Workforce Development Board Meeting, WorkSource Southwest Georgia Admin. Office, 75 W. Broad St., Camilla GA

March 26th, 2024: 10am - SWGA Healthcare Sector Partnership Committee Zoom Meeting

May 14th, 2024: 10am - 3pm The Workforce Alliance Meeting, GA DOL Career Center, Valdosta GA
WorkSource Southwest Georgia

75 West Broad Street P.O. Box 647, Camilla, GA 31730
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is an Equal Opportunity Program. Discrimination is prohibited by Federal law. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Requests for services, aids, and/or alternate formats need to be made by calling TTY: 1-800-255-0056.