Deal announces initiative for skilled trade industries

Gov. Nathan Deal today announced the launch of a new skilled labor advancement initiative, Go Build Georgia. As a product of the Governor's Competitiveness Initiative, Go Build Georgia will address the skilled labor shortage in our state through public outreach designed to educate young people and the public at large about the wage, lifestyle and employment benefits in the skilled labor trades.

"This initiative to help Georgia's skilled trade industries will open new opportunities for our students and Georgia's job seekers," said Deal. "Go Build Georgia brings together education and business stakeholders to further develop our workforce which will make our state more competitive nationally."

Over the next year, 16,500 projected jobs will become available in the industries that rely on skilled labor. This program will assist in getting Georgians the skills they need to fill employment opportunities.

With a rapidly retiring workforce, many companies that require skilled labor will face a severe labor shortage in the coming years. Go Build Georgia aims to educate young people on the opportunities in the skilled trades to help companies create and maintain a strong workforce for years to come.

Mike Rowe, executive producer and host of Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs," is partnering with Go Build Georgia and will appear in the initial advertisements for the campaign. Rowe partnered with the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute (ACRI) on its Go Build Alabama program, launched in August 2010. Go Build pairs well with his mikeroweWORKS.com initiative, which calls attention to the growing skills gap in the trades while providing a comprehensive resource for anyone looking to investigate a career in the skilled trades.

"When we launched Alabama I said I wanted to go down the alphabet and challenge every state in the nation to send the message that America needs young people willing to master a trade and help us build our future," Rowe said. "I've had a front row seat to all different kinds of work, and I can tell you that there's nothing more important to our country than skilled labor. I applaud Georgia for sending that message to people across the Peach State, even if they're not next in line alphabetically."

Go Build Georgia is a private-public partnership designed to increase Georgia's competitiveness. Mapping the employer opportunities with employees equipped with the right skills is the key to solving Georgia's workforce challenges.

"Go Build Georgia is designed to bring statewide attention the needs of many Georgia companies and foster growth of skilled labor in our workforce," said Tricia Pridemore, the executive director of the Governor's Office of Workforce Development.

For more information on Go Build Georgia visit www.gobuildgeorgia.com.