Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the trucking industry was facing some trouble with an aging workforce. As supply chains got stretched thin during the pandemic, the importance of the industry took on a new light. And here in Georgia, as the Georgia Ports continue to set records for freight traffic, demand for drivers is only increasing.
This week, Fulton County Commission Chairman Rob Pitts announced that he has secured $500,000 in funding for Atlanta Technical College’s new Transportation and Logistics Center that will train students in truck driving, warehouse logistics and truck maintenance. With Pitts’ backing, the Board of Commissioners approved the funding allocation, in addition to the transfer of land for the location of the center in South Fulton.
“The trucking industry is seeing unprecedented demand and offers high paying jobs and endless opportunities. With 25 airports and interstates, Metro Atlanta is a transportation hub,” said Pitts. “This state-of-the-art facility will benefit our entire region, especially South Fulton.”
The facility will train students to obtain a commercial driver’s license, an essential requirement for truck driving. It will also prepare them to operate on diesel engines, manage warehouse logistics and navigate supply chains. Pitts partnered with the president of Atlanta Technical College Dr. Victoria Seals to score an additional $3.2 million for the center from the state of Georgia.
“I am grateful for Dr. Seals’ determination to make this trucking facility a reality,” said Pitts. “Together, we worked tirelessly to convince lawmakers that the Center will be an asset to our residents and economy. It’s exciting that students can launch new careers, earn top salaries and play a role in making Fulton and the region number one in the trucking industry.”
The technical college estimates the number of trucking jobs will increase by 14 percent nationally and 16 percent here in Georgia over the next few years. American Trucking Associations keeps track of workforce data and estimates the industry faces a shortage of 80,000 commercial drivers nationwide. In an industry that has typically been dominated by men – to the tune of 93 percent of drivers are men, there is also an effort underway to attract more women into the industry. Not being able to recruit half the population clearly accentuates a workforce shortage issue.
The announcement comes the same week that the Savannah Logistics Innovation Center announced its first cohort of startups for the Plug and Play accelerator program focused on logistics. Plug and Play is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital and innovation platform that recently opened an office in Savannah. The focus areas for the companies chosen in the program include freight, warehouse operations, labor and supply chain optimization. Obviously these companies will spread far beyond Savannah but the momentum continues for the Port of Savannah and Georgia Ports Authority.
And all that port freight has to be shipped inland. Some Atlanta Technical grads might be driving it soon.
