Goodwill of Southeast Georgia’s annual meeting focused on workforce development partnerships

Goodwill Southeast Georgia had a message to share at its Annual Meeting on May 17: There are people in need of work opportunities in Georgia's southern coastal communities and those communities are in need of a workforce.

The sentiment may not seem like news to anyone who has been following the influx of industrial, logistics and manufacturing opportunities along the Interstate-16 corridor and coastal Georgia. What may be news is who was in the room. Mayor Van Johnson, Savannah-Chatham School Board President Roger Moss, Savannah Technical College (STC) Vice President of Economic Development Tal Loos, Savannah State University President Cynthia Robinson Alexander and a representative for Congressman Buddy Carter as well as other business and community leaders attended last Friday's event.

Goodwill Southeast Georgia President and CEO Jason Marshall spoke to the influential audience about collaboration and partnerships as a solution to the growing need. He touted Goodwill's G-Force Manufacturing and Ability One career development and employment services programs, sharing personal narratives from individuals who had benefited from those programs. He told attendees, "Your Goodwill is financially strong, eager to expand and ready to partner with our community to find solutions to the critical need of developing a ready and able workforce."

With so many players at the table, who might guide and manage these community partnerships? The answer, in the form of two influential women, arose from the crowd and ascended to the stage at STC's Eckburg Auditorium.

RISE unveiled: Savannah Economic Development Authority introduces RISE regional workforce organization name

Panelists shed light on workforce resources and progress

After Marshall highlighted Goodwill's mission and impact in the area, he invited United Way of the Coastal Empire's (UWCE) Chief Impact Officer Leia Dedic and Regional Industry Support Enterprise (RISE) President and CEO Anna Chafin up for a panel discussion on "Transforming Tomorrow’s Workforce: Opportunity Through Partnerships."

Dedic talked about ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. Asset limited individuals are those who may have housing but are renting or lack access to adequate transportation. Income constrained but employed refers to a person who might be working but not able to make ends meet. ALICE data goes beyond assessing the federal poverty level and, as Dedic said, "actually gives us a better look at what financial hardship looks like in our communities." ALICE calculates survival budgets which assess factors such as housing, childcare and internet costs as well as other necessary expenses.

'If I Can Help Somebody': Women Who Rule honors and celebrates the servant-leader

RISE progress: On eve of Hyundai Metaplant announcement's 2nd anniversary, RISE gives workforce update

The tool can be crucial to empowering individuals experiencing financial hardship regardless of income. ALICE can also be beneficial for businesses that need to recruit and retain employees by providing them with resources, which can factor into employers' workforce development practices.

Chafin's responses centered around RISE's plans for workforce pipeline growth, particularly related to the underrepresented workgroups and former military service members as she detailed at the recent Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) meeting.

RISE's ongoing workforce strategy stands to benefit from Goodwill's G-Force and Ability One programs. G-Force's mission is to "assist individuals to overcome disabilities and barriers to become employed and achieve their greatest potential." The organization supplies aerospace manufacturing and light assembly/kitting services to companies such as Gulfstream. Ability One's goal is to assist those with "documented disabilities who need specific support and accommodations to maintain meaningful employment."

Chafin announced that RISE will be holding a second-chance workforce kickoff event on June 24. Details are still forthcoming. Similarly, Dedic stated that UWCE will be inviting many people in the room to a business event in October that aims to increase awareness of the ALICE resources.

As the meeting wrapped, Marshall shared a message with media partners for a wider audience of for-profit businesses, nonprofits and community organizations. He encouraged them to "be willing to partner and step outside of your business to make sure that we do what's best for our region."

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Goodwill meeting spotlights 'underrepresented workgroups'