Photo Caption: Business and education leaders discuss trends, opportunities and challenges during the Albany Area Chamber and Albany Area Chamber Foundation’s April 12 Talent Summit Rise N Shine at which the comprehensive Albany-Dougherty County Works! Talent Strategy 2.0 was shared.

The Albany Area Chamber Foundation recently released the Albany-Dougherty County Works! Talent Strategy 2.0, developed through a steering committee collaborative of private- and public-sector partners to boost the local work force pipeline and create more opportunities for youth, adult citizens and employers. The strategy presents an update to the work plan designed in 2019 and released in 2020. 

“The Albany Area Chamber and Albany Area Chamber Foundation, educational institutions, strategic partners, employers and the Albany community have placed priority emphasis, advocacy and action on creating, developing and expanding talent through innovative education, business partnerships and experiential learning,” said Barbara Rivera Holmes, president & CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce and its 501©3 affiliate, the Albany Area Chamber Foundation. “These efforts have produced significant results for our community. The Albany-Dougherty County Works! Talent Strategy 2.0 is a continued and coordinated focus on programs and initiatives that build Albany’s work force.” 

The strategy was shared at the April 12 Talent Summit Rise N Shine hosted by the Albany Area Chamber at Albany State University’s West Campus. 

The 18-month work plan focuses on three priorities: Community Coordination & Communication; Youth Pipeline Development; and Continued Adult Preparation. Priorities in these categories include development a campaign focused on career path stories and an informative and interactive jobs and work force development platform; expansion of career exposure and awareness for Dougherty County students; assessment of job market needs to build a business-aligned work force; and coordination with area employers to codevelop industry pipeline training programs and certifications. 

“Talent is the new infrastructure. A talented, qualified and available work force drives decisions – and success – for our existing businesses and new businesses,” said Holmes said. 

Initiatives implemented as a result of the first talent strategy include learning tours that allow educators to tour local employers and learn first-hand more about the skills students need to be successful in the work place; helping students connection and mentorships with the business community; upskilling programs for parents and adults in the work force; youth entrepreneurial development, initiated through FLEX ABY, Albany’s first youth entrepreneurship competition; and development of a network of partners communicating on work force development initiatives 

The Albany-Dougherty County Works! Talent Strategy 2.0 was facilitated by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia. The road map can be viewed at bit.ly/AlbanyDoughertyWorks2023. Community partners interested in serving on the implementation teams for the strategy may do so at bit.ly/TeamADCWorks2023 or by calling the Albany Area Chamber at (229) 434-8700. 

The Albany Area Chamber’s Rise N Shine series is presented by Webb Properties. The Talent Summit Rise N Shine was sponsored by ReEnergy – Albany Green Energy, Albany Technical College, Albany State University and the Albany Area Chamber Foundation.