Technical College System of Georgia Receives $15M Grant to Recover and Expand Georgia’s Skilled Workforce

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) a $15 million Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy, Training (QUEST) Disaster Recovery Grant to support Georgia workers and employers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since the pandemic, Georgia has experienced both unprecedented economic growth, and record openings of high-quality skilled jobs,” said TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier. “This presents a tremendous opportunity for Georgians to not only reenter the workforce, but also begin a new career path that they may not have been able to access before.”

Through this grant, TCSG will establish The Untapped Workforce Initiative, which is focused on strengthening partnerships between Georgia’s workforce development system, employers, and local communities to address the workforce impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and lower barriers for affected workers of the pandemic to obtain quality, sustainable careers. The grant will also provide significant funding to affected workers through WorkSource Georgia, the state’s employment and training system, for skills training in jobs critical to Georgia’s economy, including advanced manufacturing, transportation, distribution, logistics, information technology, and healthcare.

“For many in Georgia, the pandemic has offered the opportunity to begin a new chapter in their lives, and that often means a better job. With this grant, we can ensure that Georgians who were hit hardest by the pandemic, specifically individuals from special populations and marginalized communities, have access to better jobs as well,” said Deputy Commissioner Karen Kirchler.

To learn more about WorkSource Georgia, including the services for individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, visit www.WorkSourceGeorgia.com.

About QUEST Grant

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Dislocated Worker Grants (DWG) support projects that enable unemployed and underemployed people to enter, return to, or advance in high-quality jobs in critical and growing sectors, including the infrastructure and care economy. This grant prioritizes individuals whose employment has been negatively impacted by the pandemic and individuals from historically marginalized and underserved populations. Authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, Dislocated Worker Grants temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker programs by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events that cause significant job losses.

About the Technical College System of Georgia

The 22 colleges of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) are Georgia’s top resources for skilled workers. TCSG offers world-class training in more than 600 associate degree, diploma and certificate programs to students who are trained on state-of-the-art equipment by instructors who are experts in their fields. The system also houses Georgia’s Office of Adult Education, which promotes and provides adult literacy and education programs, including the GED® testing program, throughout the state. In addition, TCSG partners with companies through Quick Start, the nation’s top customized workforce training program, and through its individual colleges, who work with local industry to provide workforce and training solutions. For more information, visit TCSG.edu.

About the Office of Workforce Development

The Technical College System of Georgia’s Office of Workforce Development is the administrator of WorkSource Georgia, the state’s federally funded employment and training system, working to connect talent with opportunity. At a local level, the Office of Workforce Development provides Workforce Innovation of Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds and technical assistance to the 19 Local Workforce Development Areas across the state. WIOA funds are allotted to dislocated workers, low-income adults and youth and administered specifically through services geared toward helping disadvantaged citizens obtain meaningful employment. For more information visit TCSG.edu/Workforce.