As we engage Georgia employers of all sizes to learn more about their existing and future workforce needs, we hear of widespread demand for educated and trained workers within the skilled trade sectors.  Through our Go Build Georgia program, we aim to educate students about rewarding jobs in those sectors, specifically in manufacturing, telecommunications, construction, logistics and energy.  We are working to assist educators, counselors and parents in guiding students through a career path that leads to a longstanding, well-paying career.  We’ve successfully established partnerships with middle and high schools, the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and industry partners throughout the state. 

Today, we are expanding that outreach and leveraging those partnerships by offering special activity grants and scholarships to schools and students in Georgia to help support skilled-trade-related education and training.   

The Go Build Georgia High Demand Career Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship, awarded to graduating high school seniors entering a TCSG institution in a field of study leading to a career in the skilled trades. These scholarships are being made available through a partnership between Go Build Georgia, the Go Build Georgia Foundation and TCSG.  The Go Build Georgia High Demand Career Scholarships can work in concert with the state’s Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grants (SIWDG) which cover full tuition in critical demand areas, as the scholarships can be used to cover requisite fees and materials. 

The new Go Build Georgia Grants will be awarded to middle and high schools for Go Build Georgia-aligned special activities.  These grants, of up to $500 each, are designed to support skilled-trade-related education and opportunities early in the student’s career, building awareness and interest in these targeted industries among young Georgians.  Go Build Georgia grants are being made available through a partnership between Go Build Georgia, the Go Build Georgia Foundation and the Career, Technical and Agricultural Education Division (CTAE) of the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE).  Grants will be awarded to applying middle and high schools throughout the year.

Our goal is not only to supply Georgia employers with a skilled workforce to support business growth, but to also anticipate and respond to trends, shifts and shortages within the workforce system.  Historically, the skilled trade industry has faced the challenge of an aging workforce and as Georgia continues to serve as a leader in manufacturing and logistics, we aim to support and bolster the workforce with young talent.  By strengthening our workforce, these scholarships and grants will support economic development and help ensure that Georgia remains the number one state in the nation for business. 

Learn more about the Go Build Georgia High Demand Career Scholarship and the Go Build Georgia Grant by visiting www.gobuildgeorgia.com.