For seven consecutive years, Site Selection Magazine has ranked Georgia the number one state in which to do business. In the technological innovation world we all live in now, having a workforce capable of filling a variety of jobs across many industries is a key piece of capturing the opportunity presented by having such a good business climate.
To that end, in some continuing good news for the state’s economy, Georgia was named the number one state for workforce development in the South Atlantic Region. Governor Brian Kemp was pleased with the news.
“As I’ve said in communities throughout the Peach State, the hardworking Georgians who make up our workforce are the foundation of our competitive edge in attracting business – both in the Southeast and across the country,” said Governor Kemp. “I’m excited that Site Selection Magazine has recognized yet another reason why Georgia is the best state in which to live, work and raise a family.”
Site Selection pointed to a number of factors that led to the high ranking. Depth of the labor pool, availability of certified applicants for job openings and having a legislature that is committed to funding workforce programs were all included as factors and compared to other states in the region. Site Selection also took into account rankings like CNBC’s Top States for Business and their Workforce and Education sub-ranking, Forves’ Best States for Business Labor Supply, the ACT National Career Readiness Certificates rankings and the workforce preparation and development component of the State Economic Development Program Expenditures Database from the Council for Community and Economic Research.
“Workforce development is the number one issue for so many of the companies that we work with, and business decision-makers understand that training programs like our No. 1 Georgia Quick Start offer a readily available workforce that will help their businesses not only meet their goals, but carry them to new heights,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Georgia’s partnership approach is working to support economic development across our entire state and keep it attractive to businesses and job creators. This exciting news is a great way to start a new year as we continue generating hope and new opportunities for Georgians.”
The focus on workforce development is a key part of the strategy to increase economic growth across all parts of the state, not just metro Atlanta or other big cities like Columbus and Savannah. Low-income and less educated Georgians benefit from the workforce development programs and businesses are able to locate anywhere in the state, not being concerned with an adequate workforce problem.
“Working hand in hand, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, and our leading workforce development program, Georgia Quick Start, have produced a top-notch workforce that companies can count on to get the job done,” added Kemp. “Looking ahead, we are committed to working with our partners throughout state government and in local communities to ensure that more businesses call Georgia home and continue to create opportunities for families throughout our state.”
