Atlanta Manufacturing Jobs Get Funding

A new round of funding will help train and support those with Atlanta manufacturing jobs and manufacturing jobs throughout Georgia.

Gov. Sonny Perdue recently awarded $1.4 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to 29 manufacturing companies throughout Georgia so they can become certified Work Ready facilities.

The certified Work Ready program is a joint effort between the Governor's Office of Workforce Development and the Georgia Department of Economic Development designed to help companies throughout the state improve productivity and strengthen their workforce through customized training.

"In challenging economic times, it is important to focus on building the long-term sustainability of Georgia's workforce," Perdue said. "By implementing Work Ready and making an investment in their employees, these companies are gaining a competitive advantage today and in the years to come."

Of the companies included in the recent round of funding, many are already using elements of the Work Ready program, and will now use Work Ready job profiles and Work Ready assessments as integral parts of their hiring and employee training processes.

The funding will mainly be used to reimburse training costs associated with expenses for implementing a Work Ready training plan - including earning work ready certificates, participating in a job profile and skills gap training - and approved customized, job-specific training chosen by the company.

"The new certified Work Ready facilities initiative will help more than 7,000 Georgians improve their skills through assessments and customized training," Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, said. "As a result, the companies participating have the opportunity to reduce turnover and training costs, improve hiring procedures and increase productivity and profitability."

With any luck, the funding will help improve the manufacturing industry's employment situation, which has seen a monthly and yearly decline in both Atlanta and Georgia, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta area's manufacturing industry employed 142,900 workers during October, down from 146,100 workers during September and a 12.7 percent decrease from last year. As a whole, Georgia's manufacturing industry employed 343,200 workers during October, down from 349,400 workers during September and a 14 percent decrease from last year.