Lt. Governor Casey Cagle concluded his Tenth Annual two-day Business and Education Summit, uniting education and business leaders from across the state.  In recognition of the company’s innovative partnership with Houston County College and Career Academy, Lt. Governor Cagle announced that Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, has been named Business Partner of the Year for 2017.

“Our network of College and Career Academies truly serves as a workforce and economic development engine – and our students wouldn’t have access to these extraordinary opportunities without dedicated industry partners like Frito-Lay,” said Lt. Governor Cagle. “Frito-Lay has demonstrated an unrivaled commitment to advancing the students of Middle Georgia. They have been steadfast in their support of the Houston County College and Career Academy and continue to invest their time, energy, and resources in developing the next generation of skilled employees.”   

“Few communities have the support and dedication of a company like Frito-Lay, especially when looking at educating the next generation of Georgia’s skilled workforce,” said Sen. Larry Walker. “I want to thank the entire Frito-Lay team for their continued support of our students at Houston County College and Career Academy. Their knowledge, expertise, and guidance provides unbelievable opportunities for our students and I’m thrilled to see them named Business Partner of the Year.”

Sen. Larry Walker represents Senate District 20, which includes Houston County.

The Summit brought together business, industry, and education leaders to discuss and demonstrate the importance of abandoning a one-size-fits-all model in public education – and focusing on the needs of each individual student. By partnering with local businesses and industries, school systems are offering innovative career pathways with public-private partnerships, which have proven effective in filling the gaps that exist in Georgia’s workforce.

Frito-Lay’s partnership with Houston County College and Career Academy:

Houston County College and Career Academy’s partnership with Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, began as a means to grow its workforce of Industrial Maintenance Mechanics. Creating the first ever pathway of its kind, Central Georgia Technical College and the Georgia Department of Education laid the foundation for the future of Industrial Maintenance Mechanics partnerships and set the example for other College and Career Academies to follow. Today this collaboration continues to be a model for manufacturing throughout the state of Georgia.