Edition: August 1, 2024

THE GULF COAST CHALLENGE

COLLEGE & CAREER FAIR

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2024 | 8:30 AM-1 PM

MOBILE CONVENTION CENTER

Join SAWDC AlabamaWorks and the Gulf Coast Challenge for the third annual Gulf Coast Challenge College & Career Fair on October 3, 2024. The College & Career Fair offers high school seniors the opportunity to explore colleges and programs available post-graduation and to meet with industry professionals to learn about high-growth, high-demand jobs in our area.

Click here for the 2024 Sponsor/Exhibitor Brochure!

To participate, please click on the applicable link below & return the form to hbarlar@sawdc.org by the appropriate deadline:

Sponsor - August 28
Business & Industry Exhibitor - September 18 (August 15 for $100 Discount!!)
College Exhibitor - September 18

Become a Sponsor

Business & Industry Exhibitor

College Exhibitor

Thank You to Our Current Sponsors!

ATN Safety Training

On July 25, Alabama Technology Network (ATN) hosted a training course on Safety Leadership. This training, offered free of charge, equipped 18 individuals representing 12 diverse companies with the necessary skills to foster collaboration and establish a partnership across all organizational levels so that effective safety leadership can be established.

In case you couldn't attend this training course, no need to fret— the next session will cover Integrated Safety and is scheduled for February 20, 2025.

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT:

We are excited to announce AM/NS Calvert as a Platinum Sponsor for the Gulf Coast Challenge College & Career Fair! Their generous support is crucial to our event’s success.

AM/NS Calvert, a global leader in steel manufacturing, is dedicated to excellence, innovation, and community development. As a Platinum Sponsor, they help provide invaluable resources and opportunities to students and job seekers, fostering connections that lead to promising careers.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to AM/NS Calvert for their unwavering support and commitment to our community’s growth and success.

SAWDC is honored to be awarded a $10,000 grant from The Community Foundation of South Alabama. The Foundation strives to aid families, specifically kids, in its eight-county footprint. Annually, grant funding supports programs that address mental and behavioral health, family, education, work, racial equity and arts and culture.

Our project proposes leveraging Virtual Reality (VR) technology to deliver engaging and interactive career exploration experiences for 9th-grade students in at-risk and rural schools across Southwest Alabama. Through VR headsets, students will engage with simulations showcasing high-demand, high-wage career pathways relevant to our region. By bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world opportunities, we aim to empower students to make informed decisions about their future careers. This initiative prioritizes access and equity, focusing on underserved communities to ensure all students have the chance to explore diverse career options.

New FAME Chapter Launched in Baldwin County

We are proud to announce the launch of a new Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) chapter in Baldwin County, Alabama.

Founded by Toyota and now supported by a wide range of manufacturers, FAME offers a unique and rigorous educational experience through its Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) program. Students in the program earn an associate degree while gaining practical, hands-on experience in a manufacturing setting, making them highly attractive to potential employers.

Each company has committed to sponsoring selected students to enroll in a work-study program to earn an Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) credential. Students will attend school two days a week and work three days a week for one of the sponsoring employers.

“We are excited to bring a new FAME chapter to Baldwin County, Alabama. This new chapter will enable us to better serve the local community and manufacturing industry by cultivating the next generation of skilled manufacturing professionals” says Cecilia Hammond – HR Manager at Gulf Packaging, Inc. and FAME board member.

A competitive recruitment and selection process will take place Spring 2025 and the first cohort of students will begin in the Fall of 2025. Details and application materials can be found by clicking here or by contacting Jennifer Crawford at jennifer.crawford@vulcaninc.com or Amanda Selph at amanda.selph@novelis.com.

Educator Workforce Academy -

Applications Open Now

The Educator Workforce Academy (EWA) is a collaborative initiative hosted by SAWDC AlabamaWorks. EWA was developed to foster relationships between education and industry leaders. The program is designed to compel educators to evaluate their current programs, particularly Career and Technical Education (CTE), and to create plans that align with regional business and industry workforce demands.

The Academy is open to superintendents, assistant superintendents, CTE directors, principals, teachers, career coaches, guidance counselors, and administrators. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about workforce development challenges and opportunities in Southwest Alabama.

Space is limited to 25 educators, and the deadline to apply is August 16.

Click to Apply

GLAM Camp

Bishop State Community College hosted a 3-day GLAM Camp 2024 on July 16-18. 54 girls in grades 5th - 10th participated in the camp filled with fun STEM activities, and manufacturing tours. Campers also had the opportunity to use VR headsets for an immersive learning experience.

GLAM offers an array of activities from mentorship programs to hands-on activity fairs designed to allow female students to meaningfully connect with women who work in various sectors of the manufacturing industry and deepen their understanding of the types of opportunities that exist in manufacturing.

2nd Annual Ladies Leadership Luncheon

Bridget Wilson, Executive Director of SAWDC, was a distinguished speaker at the 2nd Annual Ladies Leadership Luncheon on July 17, hosted by the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. The event brought together over 150 women and featured insightful discussions on key topics such as the importance of self-care, celebrating wins, fixing her crown, and achieving family-work-life balance.