The Darton State College Department of Continuing Education and Economic Development will host the Region 10 Georgia Academy for Economic Development Program this fall.  The first session will be held on August 27.  Participants represent a number of professional and non-professional economic development fields, including elected officials, public servants, business leaders, educators, and social service providers from 14 counties in Southwest Georgia.  The Academy provides participants an opportunity to gain a unique understanding of the complexities of economic and community development on the local, regional, and state levels.

The Academy’s multi-day program is taught one day a month over a four-month period. It includes training in the basics of economic and community development, business recruitment and retention, tourism product development, downtown development, quality planning, redevelopment and much more.  The academy encourages multi-county cooperation for participants to discuss common issues facing their communities, which may allow them to combine limited resources to address their issues. The dates for Region 10 include: August 27, October 1, October 29, and November 19.

The Academy was created in 1993 by a consortium of public and private organizations involved in the State’s economic development, and is designed to enhance community leaders’ skills and knowledge so that more communities in Georgia may remain or become successful. Since its inception, more than 3500 professional and non-professional economic developers from around the state have graduated from the Academy. 

“We are honored to have the opportunity to once again host the Georgia Academy for Economic Development and look forward to the increased knowledge and collaborative efforts this program provides,” says Blake Cook, director of Continuing Education and Economic Development at Darton State College.  

Darton State College Department of Continuing Education and Economic Development offers a wide range of non-academic courses, real estate and insurance pre-licensing, SHRM Professional Human Resource Certification, CEUs, recreation and leisure opportunities as well as customized professional trainings.  For more information on these opportunities, contact the Department of Continuing Education and Economic Development at (229) 317-6730 or online at www.darton.edu/CE.