The Workforce Development Issue

THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUE
Ten years of economic growth and workforce development

have resulted in historically low unemployment numbers.
Still, we have a mismatch between jobs available and workers’ skills.

Here's how we bridge the divide.
VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 | MARCH 2020 A PUBLICATION OF THE SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS

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• Academic Skills Enhancement • Resume and application
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FROM THE EDITORS
SHINING A LIGHT ON THE COASTAL EMPIRE
First Illuminated April 2019

This could
Publisher
Michael C. Traynor
(take some) work
912-652-0268
From Beacon’s beginning one
Executive Editor year ago, workforce development,
Susan Catron training, preparation or skills —
912-652-0327 whatever you call the need — has
Editorial Page Editor
been on the radar for us. And, as
Adam Van Brimmer the area continues to grow and
912-652-0343 worker shortages have become the
norm, it was high time for us to
Associate Editor/Beacon take a harder look.
Amy Paige Condon As it turns out, this edition is
Contributing Writers and Editors one of optimism: This area has all the tools to make a very
Steven Alford, Betty Darby, large dent in the challenges, but we need better skills of
Leia Dedic, Dare Dukes, Chad Fairies, coordination and execution. We can learn from Achieve
Anthony Garzilli, Andrea Goto, Atlanta, and take heart and advice from the local work
Allison Hersh, Latasha Holliman, being done by businesses and individuals.
Jessica Leigh Lebos,
Patrick Longstreth,
There are at least 60 organizations offering more than
Kristopher Monroe, Sara E. Murphy, 200 programs designed to grow the skills and grow the
Heather Ohlman, Coco Papy, abilities for any one in the area who wants or needs them.
Tania June Sammons, John Singer, You’ll read about extraordinary individual, corporate and
Paula Wallace educational efforts to help people find and retain work
Graphic Design
throughout this issue.
Kristen Morales But there are challenges, including the stranding of
nearly 3,000 court-involved children and the continuous
Contributing Photographers flight of creatives to other cities. The tasks aren’t insur-
John Carrington, Siobhan Egan, mountable, but they require focus and patience.
Molly Hayden First, focus: We’ve got to pull together and agree that
there’s duplication without coordination and fix that.
All efforts have to go toward the goal. Again, we have the
©2020 tools and a lot of the expertise.
A PUBLICATION OF THE Second, patience: Some programs take time to show
SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS progress. Early College, Dual Enrollment and any program
that includes students requires time. Let’s give those with
1375 Chatham Parkway
Savannah, Georgia 31405 early promise time to breathe and grow.
savannahnow.com In this Beacon, we hope you’ll find a no-nonsense
presentation of the numbers and needs for a workforce
with evolving skills, both hard and soft. But we also hope
you’ll be inspired by the work being done now with an eye
BEACON magazine is published quarterly by
Gannett Co. Inc., d.b.a. Savannah Morning
toward a better future for the Coastal Empire.
News, 1375 Chatham Parkway, PO Box 1088,
Savannah, Georgia 31402. Reproduction in
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Advertising rates are available on request.
Postmaster, please send change of address
to the address above. Periodical postage paid
at Savannah, Georgia, and additional mailing
offices. Michael Traynor, publisher
Susan Catron, executive editor
6 BEACON
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Inside
BEACON
PARTNERS
HunterMaclean
8 BEACON
THE ROUND-UP ESSAYS FROM THE EXPERTS
RUNNING THE NUMBERS REWRITE THE NARRATIVE

When we dig a little deeper, we Dare Dukes and Coco Papy,
get a clearer picture of the area’s Deep Center
unemployed Page 76
Page 14
CREATIVITY IN EVERY
THE GIG ECONOMY PROFESSION
A rise in independent contractors Paula Wallace, president, SCAD
signals a shift in the labor market Page 78
Page 20
PATHWAYS UNDERSTANDING
Wherever you go, whatever you do,
FISCAL IMPACTS
start with a good education Leia Dedic, director of outreach and
Page 24 grant management, SEDA
Page 80
JOB HUNTING 101 IN 2020

It takes a lot more than a stellar
ACTION PLAN
resume to land a job these days Five Practical Steps
Page 34 We Can Take Now
Page 82
IN CONVERSATION
Tina Fernandez, Achieve Atlanta
OUR VIEW
Page 22 Numbers Tell Only
Part of the Story
Tim Cone, Georgia Tech/Savannah Page 84
Page 32
Kevin Jackson, EnviroVac

Page 36
At savannahnow.com/beacon,
you’ll find e-versions of Beacon,
select articles and stories by
FEATURES newsroom reporters that cover the
day-to-day follow-up and follow-
through on topics raised in each
THE BUSINESS issue. Questionnaires and polls keep
OF EDUCATION the community conversation going.
Partnerships between educators Brews and Views

and employers are transforming the Every other month, Savannah Morning
landscape of opportunities available to News hosts Views and Brews, a
area students. Facebook Live panel discussion at
Page 40 a local restaurant with some of the
leading voices on Beacon topics.
Follow Savannahnow.com on
WORKFORCE TRAINING Facebook for event information.
From GED preparation to forklift
operation, Savannah offers multiple The Commute
training programs to realize a better Want more of the story? Join
future editorial page editor Adam Van
Brimmer and Beacon associate
Page 58
editor Amy Paige Condon over at
The Commute for podcasts with
SCHOOL-TO-PRISON newsmakers, writers, experts, and
thought leaders about infrastructure,
PIPELINE affordable housing, homelessness,
and more. Go to savannahnow.com/
Early intervention and wrap-around
podcasts.
services seek to disrupt and divert
court-involved youth
Page 70 Cover photo illustration by Kristen Morales
March 2020 BEACON 9

OUR TAKES
We asked our contributors to tell us their biggest

takeaways from working on this issue.
Steven Alford Anthony Allison Hersh Patrick Sara E. Tania June

While working Garzilli In Savannah, Longstreth Murphy Sammons
on this article it We have the breadth As society I was struck by Education in
was encourag- motivated and depth of adapts to the the extent to America is
ing to learn how young adults in corporate part- conditions of the which workforce evolving to
much city offi- Savannah. The nerships with developmentally education for better meet
cials are focused students I spoke local educational disabled, and critical sectors the needs of a
on developing with … each has institutions is not the other of the economy rapidly chang-
the youth of a vision. Their truly astounding. way around, we is not keeping workforce.
Savannah into motivation is to This is clearly a can discover ing pace with In Savannah,
a qualified have an impact successful mod- improved ways rapidly shifting programs such
workforce in through forming el that benefits of collaborating skills require- as the Busi-
anticipation of relationships, of- local students and understand- ments in those ness Logistics
future industry fering guidance as well as area ing each other. sectors. It’s also Management
growth in the or expanding companies. astonishing how Pathway at
region. their businesses. many seemingly Groves High,
They are deter- frivolous regu- and the Georgia
mined to make a latory barriers Film Acade-
difference. inhibit advance- my, provide
ment in many new learning
professions. opportunities for
students.
Latasha Kristopher
Holliman Monroe
Chad Fairies The old adage “It I was heartened
I thought “eco- takes a village” to find so many
nomic education applies to more committed
for educators” than parenting. individuals who
meant financial Andrea Goto Cultivating the were working
planning for I had no idea wealth of human inside and Heather
teachers. It was how many pro- resources in our outside the Ohlman John Singer
refreshing to grams Georgia city is a commu- system to make Workforce I’m just happy to
know that was has in place to nity effort. much needed development see businesses
entirely incor- entice industry meaningful does not happen embrace young
rect. Going into to the state changes in the when a student people and
an assignment and grow our area of juvenile graduates high innovative ideas
blindly presents economy. Our justice. school. Local as well as offer
a dynamic learn- leaders' forward businesses can young people
ing curve. thinking has get involved ear- post high-
others looking to ly and often with school career
us as a model. future talent — opportunities.
and should!
Jessica Leigh
Lebos
The city and its
partners actu-
ally offer robust
programming for
people getting
on track, not just
service jobs but
real pathways
and solutions.
10 BEACON
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THE ROUND-UP
Lay of
the Land
Most of us aren’t born
independently wealthy,
and we’re more likely to
win an Oscar than win
the lottery. So, kids, we’re
going to have to work for
it. That means we need
to invest in ourselves, in
our education, and in our
futures. A few mentors,
innovators, and initiators
offer their insights.
But first, let’s start by

running the numbers. »
March 2020 BEACON 13

SETTING THE STAGE
Human
Resources
To understand workforce
development, we need
to truly see the people
behind the numbers
BY AMY PAIGE CONDON
On the first Friday of every month, the U.S. Department of Labor

releases its “Jobs Report,” and much ado is made of the unemploy-
ment number — for good reason. That figure (oversimplifying here)
gives a snapshot of the nation’s economic health by calculating the
percentage of the entire civilian labor force (not in the military, not in
prison or otherwise institutionalized, or in nursing home facilities),
age 16 and older, that has been looking for work during the previous
four-week period.
So, it’s a good thing when that number is low. It means people are
working, which means they have money to spend on goods and ser-
vices, further fueling the economy. The most recent Jobs Report (at
press time) shows Chatham County’s unemployment rate at 2.8 per-
cent unemployment. (The city of Savannah’s is 3.1) That’s an historic
low for us, and it shows that a combination of 10 years of economic
growth with multi-pronged and multi-year efforts to bring jobs and
workforce training into our area is bearing fruit.
This number, however, gives us some other critical information.
The Savannah Morning News’ editorial page editor, Adam Van
Brimmer, offers some keen insights from Georgia’s labor secretary in
the Our Views column on page 82. Representatives of the Savannah
Economic Development Authority also have expressed concerns that
a tight labor market may cause businesses to reconsider expanding or
relocating into our community.
14 BEACON
Running the Numbers mately 90 percent are retirees as
And, like any number that well as:
stands in for people, there’s more ■ Teens, ages 16 to 18, who
to this story. As Dr. Michael are not looking for work because
Toma, Fuller E. Callaway Pro- they are in school full time;
fessor of Economics at Georgia ■ Stay-at-home parents not
Southern University, explains, looking for work;
there are other important num- ■ People who have been out
bers to consider that illuminate of work for more than seven
slack in the labor market. months and have given up;
The typical unemployment ■ Individuals who want to
number from the U.S. Depart- work but don't because the pay
ment of Labor is designated as scale does not cover the child
the U-3 unemployment rate. An- care and transportation costs to
other rate, the U-6, is more com- maintain employment.
plex. It includes not only the There are also those who
unemployed (the U-3), but also self-disqualify because of prior
discouraged workers (those who arrest records or lack of educa-
have given up looking for work), tion and certification, which, in
marginally attached workers many cases, employers are will-
(those who looked for work in ing to address through coun-
the past 12 months, but not last seling and on-the-job training.
four weeks, or those who didn’t Then, there are those who are
look for work because of fam- not willing to do the hard work
ily responsibilities, school, ill to pass an occupational drug
health or childcare problems), test. (I submit into evidence the
and those underemployed for May 17, 2016, New York Times ar-
economic reasons. The last ticle that speaks to Savannah’s
group counts workers who want challenges with employment
full-time positions but can only and drug testing.)
find part-time work or who are Together, these numbers
underemployed, meaning they paint a picture: There are nearly
are probably making far less 7,900 people in Savannah-Cha-
than their education level and tham County (the unemployed,
work experience suggest. discouraged and marginally em-
And, the U-6 number is calcu- ployed) who need meaningful
lated only at the state level and work to provide for themselves
doesn’t drill down to the county. and for their families.
But, by using Georgia’s U-3 rate “Whether or not there are
of 3.3 and its U-6 rate of 6.5, we jobs available for those peo-
can see that the U-6 rate is nearly ple, that’s a different question,”
double the unemployment rate. Toma says.
Using that same math, Chatham According to the Georgia
County’s U-6 rate is 5.5, a possi- Department of Labor, there are
bly more accurate assessment of 8,600 job listings for our area
our unemployment landscape. — twice as many job listings as
Another number to consider there are unemployed persons
is the actual size of our potential in the county. So now the ques-
civilian labor force. According tions become:
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics What is the quality of those
(BLS), our civilian labor force is jobs in terms of wages, benefits,
approximately 141,000 people, scheduling and leave practices?
or 48 percent of our total county Are they professional or front-
population. Our labor force par- line? Year-round or seasonal?
ticipation rate, however, is only Does the employer require spe-
63.8 percent — so there’s a gap cialized certifications? Do they
among the unemployment rate provide on-the-job training?
of 2.8 percent, the U-6 rate of 5.5 More importantly, do the
percent, and the labor force par- people who want and need the
ticipation rate that equals nearly jobs have the skills to do the
51,000 people, of which approxi- work?

3.1 2.8 TOP SAVANNAH AREA countywide population of just
over 289,000, we have more
Chatham County’s
EMPLOYMENT than 60 different organizations,
City of Savannah’s
unemployment from technical college and uni-
unemployment
rate rate
44,300 versities to city-sponsored com-
munity centers, providing more
than 200 workforce develop-
21.9 WEEKS
Trade, transportation,
and utilities jobs ment-type programs, ranging
from technical training (weld-
Average duration of unemployment ing, machinist, driver, real es-
9.3 WEEKS 27,300

Leisure and hospitality jobs
tate) and soft skills development
(customer service) to supportive
services, such as GED classes,
Median duration of unemployment interview and resume prepara-
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2019 tion, and small business entre-
27,300 preneurship.
So, what is the disconnect
Bedrock Challenges Education and health jobs between the people who need/
As Toma asks, “What good have we done if we want the programs and their
create jobs but can’t find people with the right
skill-sets to fill those jobs?” 24,200 participating in the programs
available, most of which are pro-
“Structural unemployment” occurs when there Government/military jobs vided free or at low-cost?
is a mismatch between the skills set of the labor “Unwilling is different than
force and the jobs available. That’s why workforce unable,” says Toma, flatly.
development — the people-centered approach to 19,900 Unable is structural. Perhaps
provide the education, training, and pathways for Manufacturing jobs an individual has transportation
a region’s people to fill the jobs available in that re- problems or is taking care of an
gion — is so critical. 18,900 elderly or sick relative or a child
Instead of simply providing incentives to business- with special needs, or is work-
es to hire people, workforce development is a holistic Professional and ing two or three low-paying jobs
human resource strategy that creates an environment business services (another factor that affects the
for job creation as well as both hard and soft skills Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dec. 2019 availability of work and con-
improvement. This requires that the pre-K-through- tributes to a low unemployment
college education system, employers, economic de- number), and cannot carve out
velopment professionals, governments at all levels, the time to take advantage of a
and nonprofit organizations communicate and strat- PROPEL SAVANNAH’S program that could help them
egize with one another along this continuum. get a leg up the ladder.
In all honesty, collaboration has not been our 5 KEY TARGET INDUSTRIES Unwilling might be willful ig-
community’s strong suit. The number of times the ■ Manufacturing norance. This same 2014 study
word “silo” has come up in the creation of each is- found that only 20 percent of
■ Port/Logistics
sue of Beacon magazine … well, we’ve lost count. respondents to surveys were
■ Tourism aware of the landscape of pro-
Help Available ■ Education/Government/Military grams available, and of those
Still, we have seen progress in practice, from ■ Healthcare who enrolled, only 50 percent
JCB’s European-style apprentice program to GSU’s Source: Propel Savannah: Strategic Economic
of participants completed their
proposed K-16 collaborative initiative (see Beacon’s Development Action Plan, Savannah Economic training programs.
Development Authority, 2019
Education issue, Winter 2019). And, this issue is Is this an issue of reach,
full of examples from right here in our own com- awareness or both?
munity where local employers, educators and or- velopment study by SEDA, the Although we have a coastal
ganizations are joining forces to prepare our young Savannah Area Chamber of office for Work Source Georgia
people for the jobs of today and tomorrow. But, Commerce, United Way of the (worksourcecoastal.org), where
these programs are in their infancy and need time Coastal Empire, and then-Arm- job seekers can register for an
to root, grow and flourish, which means we need strong Atlantic State University online portal, training services,
more businesses to participate. found a chasm between the ideal and scholarships, we do not
So, what of the people no longer in school, or who skills of job applicants/employees have a comprehensive direc-
don’t have a high school diploma (22 percent, based and the local workforce. Local tory of what services are avail-
on those who did not graduate plus those who left applicants were deficient in basic able and where they are offered
school before graduation), or who haven’t earned a oral and written communication within easy reach. We have du-
degree, or participated in a workforce development skills, computer and math skills, plicative services that may cre-
program at Savannah Technical College or at the Mo- punctuality, and overall business ate confusion and overwhelm
ses Jackson Center or Step Up Savannah? etiquette. potential clients, and we have
Although slightly dated, a 2014 workforce de- And, although we have a people who feel shame for one
16 BEACON
PATHWAYS
Wherever You Go,

Whatever You Do
There is no one right way to live a life. But, the ultimate goal
of obtaining an education is that you are prepared for your
next step, so you can take care of yourself and your family.
EMPLOYMENT
Savannah Municipal Service Area
EMPLOYMENT SECTORS PERCENT AVG. WEEKLY WAGES
*Often require degrees,
Education and Health Services* 14.9 $922 specialized training or
certifications
Leisure and Hospitality 14.7 $423
Retail Trade 11.9 $537 Source: Savannah
2019 Economic
State and Local Government* 11.8 $952 Trends, Savannah Area
Chamber
Professional and Business Services* 11.4 $1,265
Manufacturing* 9.8 $1,648
MILITARY
Active Duty Basic pay is based on rank and time in service, regardless of branch. Additional service
Army 468,783 pay is calculated for foreign, hazardous, submarine, or flight duty, or for being medical or
dental officers. Retirement pay is generally available after 20 years of service.
Navy 330,949
Military members also receive free housing on base or a housing allowance, as well as
Air Force 327,039 educational benefits at accredited institutions through the Montgomery GI Bill; medical
Marines 186,814 care at military hospitals; and guaranteed home loans.
Coast Guard 41,250 Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor
HIGHER EDUCATION
Average Cost of Tuition + Fees Average Student Loan Debt
(before financial aid)
$26,000
$10,116 PUBLIC
PUBLIC IN-STATE
$32,600
$22,577 PRIVATE, NONPROFIT
PUBLIC OUT-OF-STATE*
Source: College Board, May 2019
$26,801
PRIVATE, NONPROFIT *Some border-state colleges and universities—Alabama,
Florida, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee—offer
Georgia residents in-state tuition.
Source: US News & World Report, 2019-20

reason or another. One thing’s increasing a community’s economic stability and BE COUNTED
for sure, though, and that is our growth potential as well as minimizing fiscal im- As writer Meaghan Walsh
best-kept secret is Savannah pacts (see Leia Dedic’s essay on p. 80). Gerard detailed in the Beacon
Technical College, which offers Although we tend to laser-focus on the unem- housing issue last year, the once-
the majority of workforce devel- ployment rate, thinking about wages along with cost every-decade U.S. Census takes
opment programs across multi- of living offers a better gauge of economic health for place this year.
ple campuses in our region. rank and file workers, according to Toma. Looking “Population counts determine
not only the distribution of
for greener economic grass in Atlanta, for example, Congressional seats,” she wrote,
Skills and Wages where wages are 6 percent higher than in Savannah “but also public transportation
Skills mismatches are often might seem enticing, but when the cost of living planning, fair market housing
regional in nature, and that’s is 11 percent higher there, then a move to Atlanta and rent studies, natural disaster
why we have people with differ- starts to lose some of its appeal. A lateral move with planning, hospital and healthcare
planning, and disease-spread
ent skills sets moving to where the same salary means a lower standard of living be- models. Population change
the work is. According to Propel cause goods and services cost more there. data also affect whether new
Savannah, SEDA’s 2019 strategic The current federal minimum wage of $7.25, businesses open in the area,
economic development plan, increased by Congress back in 2009, affords less such as grocery stores, providing
“persons moving to Chatham buying power than the minimum wage of $1.60 essential services and bringing
set 50 years ago (except for seven years during the new jobs and tax revenue.”
County as in-migrants from To learn more about how to be
other states have the highest av- 1980s), according to Politifact. To have the same counted, go to census.gov.
erage income.” purchasing power, the minimum wage would need
That tells us two things: em- to come close to $12 an hour, but we already know
ployers are willing to pay for that Savannahians need to make at least $17 to
the talent and that Savannah afford decent, quality housing. So, those employ-
may not be where it needs to ees tethered to the minimum wage actually expe-
be skills-wise to fill those high- rience decreasing purchasing power as prices for
er-earning professional posi- goods and services increase. [Although the federal
tions when they come available. minimum wage supersedes states’ adopted mini-
Although importing skilled mums, it is worth noting that Georgia’s adopted
workers from other regions minimum wage is $5.15 an hour, the lowest in the
may solve those problems in
the short-term, and there is a
nation except for Wyoming (also at $5.15), and the
five southern states — Alabama, Louisiana, Missis-
$7.25
Federal minimum
spillover effect that creates di- sippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee — that have wage, set in 2009
rect (hiring teachers) and indi- no adopted minimum wage benchmark.]
rect (more taxable income with Wages and salaries had been upward trending
higher earnings) benefits to the
community, hiring local labor
until the middle of 2019, when they decreased by
almost 2 percent, according to an analysis by the $5.15
is really the most impactful in Georgia Budget and Policy Institute of labor statis- Georgia’s minimum
tics and the employment cost index. On the whole, wage rate
though, Savannah’s hourly wages fall 14 percent
below the U.S. average for all occupations, while its
The U.S. Census Bureau
has a new interactive tool corresponding cost of living index is, according to
available, the J2J Explorer, data from the Savannah Economic Development
Authority, 12.3 percent lower than the U.S.
$889
that tracks job flow across
the country and metro areas,
Savannah Area average
So, along with our workforce development ef-
and includes demographic forts, suggests Toma, we need to focus our policy weekly earnings
data to understand what
factors into job flow, such as
perspectives and investments to supporting work-
increased earnings. ers who cannot afford to live near work centers nor $905
j2jexplorer.ces.census.gov/ afford transportation. Marrying workforce devel- Chatham County average
opment with housing and transportation policy weekly earnings
will make big strides toward improving our com-
8,600
munity’s quality of life. But, we must not forget Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019
about improving wages alongside that work. Effi-
ciency wage theory of macroeconomics suggests
January 2020 jobs listings that increasing pay can lead to increased produc-
tivity and profitability, because workers feel more
motivated to work when they are not struggling to -14%
make ends meet paycheck to paycheck. The theory Savannah area average
30.4% goes that with increased wages, the higher labor
costs to the employer are recouped through in-
hourly wages compared to
U.S. for all occupations
Residents 25 and older with creased staff retention, lower recruiting and train-
bachelor’s degree or higher ing costs, higher productivity and higher output, Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2018
and lower fiscal impacts.
18 BEACON
HIGH-SCHOOL ATHLETES
terrell Pro Football Hall of Famer
may 26,
davis 2020 and formerPro Football
Georgia Hall of Famer
Bulldog
terrell
and former Georgia Bulldog
terrell HONORING THE AREA’S BEST
maydavis
S ava n naHIGH-SCHOOL
h C o n v e n tATHLETES
ion Center
davis26, 2020
All-Star Athletes announced throughout the year for each state-sanctioned
from local businesses.

S avaAthletes
HONORING THE AREA’S BEST
sport may attend this exciting awards show for free, thanks to support
n na h may C o get
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their individual promo code assigned to them after they register for the
event. Family, friends
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and other supporters may purchase tickets online.
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facturing sectors increasingly rely on independent
workers to reduce their overheads and spread their
global impact. Transportation, fueled largely by
rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft, have seen
the greatest gains in indie contractors.
With these gains, however,
The Hustle
gig workers have faced unfair la-
bor practices, which resulted in
the state of California’s passing
into law last year a litmus test of
whether a freelancer is really an
employee. Only if workers are
Rise in independent contractors free from a company’s control,
are doing work that isn’t cen-
illuminates shift in U.S. labor market tral to the company’s business,
and pursue work independent
of that industry, then, and only
BY AMY PAIGE CONDON 57.3 then, can they be considered
million freelancers; otherwise, they
Self-employment is nothing new. In fact, the Freelancers must be treated as employees
American ethos celebrates the independent, en- in the U.S. and receive the same labor pro-
trepreneurial spirit of small business. Side hustles tections and benefits. AB5, as
have always helped folks make ends meet, save for 55% the law is known, has far-reach-
Freelancers
that big vacation, or pursue a more creative path. who make
ing ramifications for freelancers
Yet, more and more U.S. workers – especially $50,000 or hired by California-based firms
since the 2008 recession – are employed as inde- less annually and may spur other states to
pendent contractors, not just by choice but also be- pass similar legislation.
cause companies large and small are reducing their 20% A city like Savannah, with its
Freelancers
full-time workforces to guard against the increas- who make teeming creative class of work-
ing cost of benefits or to buffer periods of under- $100,000 or ing artists, musicians, and writ-
performance. A 2018 study by Intuit prognosticat- more annually ers, and its service class of hos-
ed that independent contractors would comprise Source: Statista.com,
pitality employees, finds large
up to 40 percent of the American workforce by this based on Bureau of swaths of its population, both
Labor statistics, 2019
year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the num- with intention and by necessi-
ber of “contingent workers” closer to 10 percent — ty, cobbling together two and
but growing. three jobs at a time to aggregate
According to a 2019 Internal Revenue Service a middle-income salary. There’s freedom and flex-
study of tax trends over a 15-year period, the share ibility, but there’s also insecurity and exhaustion.
of independent contractors as part of the U.S. la- “It was originally a matter of exigency,” says one
bor market has increased by 22 percent since 2001. investment strategist and writer who now lives in
Although those independent contractors who re- Savannah. “I lost my job in Europe, and my visa
ceived wages (e.g., those who supply labor services along with it, after my company was bought out.
to the government or to firms, such as construc- When I moved back to the U.S., I could not find
tion workers) represent the largest segment of this work, so I went out on my own so as not to starve.
group, female freelancers who rely on contract “Now, I stay because I love it. No commute, no
work as their primary source of income (12.2 per- nasty office politics, totally flexible hours. But,
cent) represent the fastest growing segment, which more than that, while people think this is so risky,
signals a structural shift in the labor market. it feels less so to me than full-time employment. I
Technology is often cited as the primary reason can lose a client or two — and sure, some would
for this swing, but tech workers made up only 5 sting more than others — and still be OK; whereas,
percent of the “gig” workforce in 2018, and mul- in a full-time job, someone can fire me and ruin my
tinational corporations in the finance and manu- world. This actually feels safer.”
‘Perhaps instead of replacing full-time employment with these fleeting roles, we should think about making
full-time employment more flexible itself, allow full employees the freedom to work when and where they
like without the risk of going hungry or homeless. Gig economy work, whether you love it or loathe it, is
here to stay — but maybe we need to curb its influence in the strained middle, change our idea of fixed
employment to suit a digital age, and leave a smaller portion of the market to earn as much or as little as
they wish.’ CHARLES TOWERS-CLARK, “The Uberization of Work: Pros and Cons of the Gig Economy,” forbes.com
20 BEACON
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Q&A
Minding the Gap

AS TOLD TO MOLLY CLANCY
Just six years ago, only 14 percent of Atlanta’s public high school students
went on to earn college degrees within six years of graduation. The Joseph B.
Whitehead Foundation (a nonprofit under the Robert Woodruff Foundation
umbrella and named in honor of one of Coca-Cola’s original bottlers) was so
alarmed by this low rate of achievement and the attendant consequences for
economic opportunity, it committed $20 million toward transforming the
future of the city’s young people. Those funds established Achieve Atlanta, a
nonprofit dedicated to getting high school students over actual and perceived
barriers to college success.
Achieve Atlanta’s programs help students navigate admissions applications,
testing, financial aid, and other challenges. But, the organization’s counselors
don’t stop once these scholars get their high school diplomas. The “coaches”
provide ongoing emotional and educational support to Achieve Atlanta
In Conversation with scholars once they get to their college campuses. Since its inception in 2015,
Tina Fernandez, executive director, Achieve Atlanta has helped more than 2,235 public high school students
ascend to 209 different colleges and universities throughout the United States
Achieve Atlanta
– although 85 percent have remained in-state for school. Of those students, 91
Note: This interview was edited percent are black, and more than half are the first in their families to attend
for space and clarity. For more college. Nearly 100 percent of the scholars qualify for the need-based Pell
of our conversation, visit
savannahnow.com/beacon. Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Beacon spoke with Tina Fernandez, Achieve Atlanta’s founding executive
director, about the unique (and replicable) approach her organization takes to
ensure nothing stands in the way of these students’ dreams.
What lessons can other talk about social mobility, they look at
communities take from students [who] are born into the lowest
what Achieve Atlanta has economic quintile, what percentage of
accomplished? those students will move into the highest
I don’t know if you’re familiar with economic quintile in their lifetime. Atlan-
Raj Chetty’s work. He’s a professor out ta has the lowest social mobility rate of
of Harvard. He’s an economist. He has any city in the entire country. The social
a project called the Equal Opportunity mobility rate is about 4 percent … we also
Project [now opportunityinsights.org], have the distinction of being named the
and they’ve measured social mobility capital of income inequality three out of
rates across the country. And when they the last five years … in a city that has a ton
22 BEACON
of Fortune 500 companies, a booming What have you found is most to help students apply to college … fill
economy, a vibrant black professional effective in closing those gaps? out their applications, do their essays,
class, we also have this long-standing We have a memorandum of under- fill out the FAFSA – the forms for fi-
generational poverty that kids and standing with the [APS] district and nancial aid. So, we added an addition-
families don’t move out of. also a very comprehensive data-shar- al panel of 27 college advisors across
We recently went through a new ing agreement. We have worked with all APS high schools, and through this
strategic planning process and natu- the district over the last five years and effort, have been able to reduce the
rally revised our vision. Atlanta, where provided them with strategic opera- ratio to about 1:100-150, depending
race and income no longer predict tion and financial support to design on the school. We want students to
post-secondary success and upward and implement a district-wide college see their college advisor at least once
mobility, so we view our work as advising program. The college ad- per semester.
catalyzing social mobility for students vising program focuses right now on We have targets around how many
who come through Atlanta Public junior and senior years. students complete their FAFSA ap-
Schools. One of the things we saw in the plications., targets around how many
Despite the debate about the value research was that before Achieve students apply to at least three or
of a college education, all data shows Atlanta, the ratio of counselors to more colleges, and then we set targets
that the more education you have, students in the high schools was on how many students seamlessly en-
the higher your earnings are going to about one counselor for every 400 roll in college right after their senior
be. And there’s some data that says to 450 students. Every student could year. So, through this effort, we’ve
60 percent of the jobs by 2025 will get about 15 minutes of college advice seen about an 11 percentage point
require some sort of post-secondary in their senior year, which we all increase in the number of students
degree in the state of Georgia. So, we know is not going to do anything. So, seamlessly enrolling in college.
know it’s really, really critical that we partnered with an organization Another initiative: we partnered
more students earn those degrees. called the College Advising Corps with the College Board to provide
The way we work is interesting (CAC), a national organization. They SATs during the school day for all
because we were given the charge recruit students fresh out of college, juniors in the public schools. What
not to replicate another direct-ser- train them, and then place them in we found was that there were many
vice organization. So, we operate as high schools across the country. The students who weren’t taking the SAT
an intermediary to create multiple member serves as a college advisor at for a variety of reasons, either they
cross-sector collaborations that a high school for two years and pro- couldn’t pay the fee, or they would
include Atlanta Public Schools K-12, vides all of the core technical support get a waiver and sign up for it, but
all of the high schools in the district, they didn’t have transportation to get
several local and national nonprofit there to the testing site on a Saturday,
organizations that are committed to or there were just so many barriers
college success … We have a diverse to why students weren’t able to take
portfolio of higher ed partners. the test. There was a lot of research
We’ve looked at all the research, around that when you offer SATs in
we’ve looked at what milestones the school during the school day, not
students need to be hitting to be able only do test-taking rates go up, you
to get to college, pay for college, and also identify many more students who
then succeed in college. Where are we are college-ready who you would not
finding gaps? Where do we think we otherwise have known.
can have the most influence and actu- The College Board recently released
ally close those gaps? Then we bring the first batch of data for this last junior
organizations together to tackle these class, and 90 percent of juniors took the
issues and try to move the needle with SAT, and that was up from the mid-50s
the ultimate goal that our students will – 57 percent – and that is equal to about
graduate college at similar or higher 600 more black students taking the SAT
rates than their non-low-income peers. than the year prior.

PATHWAYS
Spi r al
Upward
GED programs serve as a launchpad
from poverty to self-sufficiency
BY LATASHA HOLLIMAN
At age 11, Rashena Grant lost

her mother to an asthma attack.
“Went in to give her a Moth-
er’s Day card and couldn’t wake
her up,” she recalls
Grant soon lost her zest for
life. She had dreamed of playing
for the WNBA, but that dream, book, she found a post describ-
along with her academic career, high schools before being re- ing a local GED program.
faded. She was taken in by her moved from Savannah High �
mother’s sister, split from her School by her aunt, who decided The General Educational De-
siblings, and prevented from liv- that Grant would be better off velopment test, created in 1942
ing with her father due to fam- with a job rather than a diploma. by the Department of Defense,
ily quarreling. By the time she But this too, failed. offers anyone over the age of
entered high school, Grant was “Around that time, I started 16 who has not completed high
completely unmotivated. drinking heavily,” says Grant. school with the chance to earn
“I was a wild child,” she ad- A few months ago, however, a high school-equivalency de-
mits. She failed the ninth grade Grant decided that she’d had gree. And, opportunities abound
and attended three different enough. While scrolling Face- throughout Savannah and the
24 BEACON
surrounding counties for ob-
taining a GED for free or at low no-judgment zone, which is the
cost. Google “GED Savannah,” NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE same motto for one of the or-
and more than 50 different pro- ganization’s corporate partners,
grams in and around the Coastal BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Planet Fitness, where she held
Empire pop up that offer GED a recent fundraising event. Wil-
prep classes and testing — near-
or associate degree
liams knew that the people in
With some college

ly half of those available through her community needed to feel
school diploma
Less than high
Savannah Technical College. safe and cared for in order to
According to GED.com, GED learn. She knew that their con-
degree or higher
With bachelor’s
recipients earn an additional cerns outside of the classroom
$9,000 per year in income than would impact their ability to
Unemployment
those without a high school
graduate, no
High school
focus inside the classroom. She
diploma. The gap grows ever taps into a network of support-
National
college
larger with educational attain- ive services, from childcare and
ment. Yet, even knowing that a
Rate
dentists to elderly care — any-
diploma or a degree opens up thing to ensure participants can
earning potential, some people achieve their goals and change
are weighed down by the stigma their family dynamics.
of never having completed high “I even tell them to ask their
school and don’t pursue GED
testing, which can lean not only 2.0 2.8 3.6 3.8 5.5 moms and dads if they have a
high school diploma and if they
to a better job but also a college Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Labor, The Economics Daily, Jan. don’t, to tell them to come,”
2020
education. says Williams, who sees Future
� Minds as a way to diminish the
Grant contacted Future MEDIAN EARNING POWER BASED ON EDUCATIONAL poverty level in Savannah. “We
Minds Literacy and Adult Edu- have to take responsibility for
cation through that Facebook ATTAINMENT (FULL-TIME, WEEKLY EARNINGS) the fact that these businesses ar-
post that appeared in her feed. en’t seeing the right candidates,
HIGH SCHOOL,
NO COLLEGE
Zelonia Williams, founder because some of the people they

COLLEGE
and executive director, encour- should be seeing don’t meet the

SOME
aged Grant to apply to the free, education requirements.”

DIPLOMA
rolling-admission program,
NO HIGH
SCHOOL
Since founding Future Minds,

BACHELOR’S
where participants are not re-

ADVANCED
Williams has expanded the pro-

NATIONAL
quired to show proof of income

DEGREE
gram’s reach to four locations:

or to divulge financial status or Savannah State University, St.
credit history — another level of Leo University, the United Way
shame that prevents potential Family Service Center in Rin-
$975 $1,559 $1,281 $874 $749 $606
students from applying. con, and South College.
For Grant, the individualized Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Labor, Oct. 2019 “Workforce development
lesson plan allowed her to work means life skills and employabil-
at her own pace in a small, in-
21% The average amount more earned ity,” says Williams. “But people
timate learning environment, skills alone don’t keep a job and
giving a comfort level she didn’t weekly by men than women
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Labor, Q4, 2019
(by itself) neither does educa-
think she could find elsewhere. tion. It’s a process.”
“I really don’t like being Grant, who is looking for-
around a lot of people when I’m ward to taking culinary classes
learning,” Grant explains. “In after obtaining her GED, sees
that class, we all support each WANT TO GET YOUR GED?
the long-term impact on her
other. I don’t feel judged.” Future Minds Literacy: 596-1420, futuremindsinc.com
(serves Savannah and surrounding counties)
own outlook. “Since I started
Williams, who created the the program, my mindset has
Savannah Technical College: 443-5446,
program as part of her mas- savannahtech.edu/ged-esl/ged-classes/ changed and I’m staying fo-
ter’s thesis in adult education, (available at multiple locations, including Live Oak Public cused. I just wanted to be able to
affirms that Future Minds is a Libraries) say I did it.”

'It’s a
genuine
brotherhood
where
people care
for you and
want to
help you
succeed.'
JAMAR FEGGINS
JOHN CARRINGTON
Mentee of Collegiate 100

program
26 BEACON
PATHWAYS
Mentorships
Make a
Difference BY ANTHONY GARZILLI
When Jamar Feggins was a

child growing up in Columbus,
Georgia, he had strong family sup-
port from his parents and cousins,
but he was looking for something
more. As a middle-schooler, Feg-
gins sought a brotherhood out-
side of family, to see how others
grew and matured in life. He was
looking for experiences beyond
what he knew.
“I was trying to look for things
to help me grow,” Feggins says.
Feggins’ earnestness was re-
warded by the presence of the
Collegiate 100, a program sup-
ported by the 100 Black Men of
America. Through its local chap-
ter, the Collegiate 100’s college
students visited Feggins’s school
and mentored the younger stu-
dents on Saturdays. Feggins saw
young men, not too much older
than he, encouraging him to go
to college, to build a career. That
optimism stuck with Feggins
and helped motivate him.
“It made a huge impact,” Feg-
gins says.
When Feggins enrolled at Sa-
vannah State University in 2013,
he knew he wanted to give back.
Getting involved with the Col-
legiate 100 chapter at SSU was
important to Feggins because

he knew his own story could impact others, but 'I’m proud of the have this important task to do.’
he would also grow as a leader and help his fellow It’s important to hold each other
classmates navigate the uncertainties and pres- growth thus far of accountable.”
sures of college. He became involved as a freshman the Collegiate 100,” Harold Oglesby, president of
and by his senior year he was the chapter’s presi- the 100 Black Men of Savannah,
dent. says Stevenson, an says the program helps students
Feggins, now 24, graduated in 2017. He works as executive board with fiscal responsibility. It has
a supervisor at the Kimpton Brice Hotel in down- a partnership with Wells Far-
town Savannah and says the Collegiate 100 is the member of 100 Black go, whose representatives teach
perfect program to help young people mature and students about personal financ-
achieve their goals. Men of Savannah. es, planning and investing.
“It’s a genuine brotherhood where people care “We have a group “A goal specifically for the
for you and want to help you succeed,” Feggins 100 Black Men of Savannah is
says. of students [who] to have our kids with the least
■ appear to be more amount of student debt as pos-
A nonprofit, 100 Black Men was founded in 1963 in sible,” Oglesby says.
New York City and grew into 100 Black Men of Amer- community-minded Members also engage in the
ica over the next two decades. It now has chapters na- wider community by volunteer-
tionwide and internationally. Following the Million and that’s a good ing at food banks, street cleanups,
Man March in Washington, D.C., in 1996, an inspired thing.' car washes, and voter registra-
group of men, spearheaded by entrepreneur Charles L. tion. The Collegiate 100 is also
Gordon, established the 100 Black Men of Savannah. DR. ROBERT STEVENSON involved each year with a college
Several years later, Dr. Robert Stevenson, 100 Black Second president of 100 Black and career fair sponsored by the
Men of Savannah’s second president and longtime Men of Savannah and English, 100 Black Men of Savannah, Cha-
English, speech and theater professor at SSU, helped speech and theater professor at tham County Youth Commission,
start the Collegiate 100 in Savannah, which was one Savannah State University Savannah-Chatham County Pub-
of the first such programs in the country and eventu- lic School System, and Alpha Phi
ally spawned many other national chapters. There are Alpha fraternity.
now 63 Collegiate 100 chapters nationwide with more Peterman attended the first
than 1,200 members, according to the Collegiate 100’s national Collegiate 100 confer-
national coordinator. Savannah hosts three chapters ence held in October in India-
alone — in addition to the one as SSU, there are chap- napolis, Indiana. Peterman, who
ters at Georgia Southern University’s Statesboro and “The biggest goal is some- grew up in Florida inspired by a
Armstrong campuses. There’s also the 100 Collegiate times they don’t see a positive father active in politics, says he’s
Women of America/GSU chapter. black role model,” Peterman says. known as someone who “likes
“I’m proud of the growth thus far of the Col- “We serve as that. We are like the to argue and challenge” ideas.
legiate 100,” says Stevenson, an executive board big brother, people they can talk At the conference he learned
member of 100 Black Men of Savannah. “We have to. The kids light up, even the of a scholarship via a partner-
a group of students [who] appear to be more com- teachers. A lot of them don’t see ship with Drake University Law
munity-minded and that’s a good thing.” positive role models in their life; School and the Collegiate 100.
■ we come in and they admire us.” Students who have a minimum
With an emphasis on mentoring and engaging ■ 3.0 GPA and score a 150 on the
in community programs, the Collegiate 100 helps The Collegiate 100 isn’t just Law School Admission Test
grow leadership skills and develop role models. about mentoring youngsters. A (LSAT) are eligible to apply.
Fernando Foster, a Collegiate 100 advisor on vital component is helping col- Without the opportunity to
the Armstrong campus, grew up in Savannah and lege students succeed, with an attend the national conference,
attended Johnson High School. He says through emphasis on members helping Peterman says, “I would have
tutoring, one-on-one sessions, reading to younger each other. never known.”
students and visiting schools, members help kids Being involved in the pro- The Collegiate 100 isn’t de-
envision themselves in college. gram means each member has signed to end after graduation.
“It’s to broaden the horizon of our young people,” a responsibility, which can in- Oglesby says 80-year-old men
Foster says. “There are options. You can do other clude taking charge of public continue to mentor those in
things besides what you see in the neighborhood. relations, catering, or coordinat- their 60s.
And there are people who look like you who are doing ing mentor visits to the schools. “It’s mentoring across a life-
great things in the community. I can’t think of any The obligations ensure the stu- time,” he says.
organization students can join that would provide a dents have a task and a responsi- Feggins, who hopes to have a
greater impact to our communities or societies.” bility to one another. career in human resources and
Jordan Peterman, a senior, pre-law student at “It’s an accountability factor,” plans to pursue an MBA, con-
SSU and Collegiate 100 mentor, says the shirt-and- says Feggins, who graduated tinues that legacy. Just recently,
tie dress code is a living embodiment of the pro- with a 3.0 GPA. “Having that Feggins helped one of his student
gram’s motto: “What they see is what they’ll be.” person saying, ‘Hey man, you mentees land a job at the Brice.
28 BEACON
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SO DO WE.
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PATHWAYS // THINK PIECE
Occupational
Hazards
Does licensure
disproportionately affect
low-income workers and
entrepreneurs?
BY SARA E. MURPHY
Roughly 30 percent of American workers need government permission to do their jobs.

Occupational licensure requirements across the country have increased dramatically since the 1950s,
and although proponents argue that it protects consumers and increases wages, a growing body of evi-
dence demonstrates that licensure harms vulnerable communities, such as minorities and low-income
people, and increases income inequality. While licensure might seem to make sense for health care profes-
sionals, for instance, it is increasingly imposed on shampooers, upholsterers, and other occupations.
According to the Institute for Justice (IJ), a libertarian law firm, research provides scant evidence that
licensing does what it is supposed to do: raise the quality of services and protect consumers. Instead, li-
censing laws often protect those who already have licenses from competition, keeping newcomers out and
prices high.
“Occupational licensing is one of the rare public policies that does exactly what it’s designed to do,” says
30 BEACON
Dick Carpenter, IJ’s director of strategic research. of education and experience, twice the average
“It keeps people out.” required across the 26 other states that require li-
Occupational licensing is the most stringent censure for pipelayer contractors. Georgia licenses
type of occupational regulation, as it prevents in- other occupations that are rarely licensed by other
dividuals from working in a profession without states, such as non-instructional teacher assistants.
meeting government-mandated entry require- Georgia also imposes burdens on some low-risk
ments. Certification laws, for instance, protect job occupations that seem excessive when compared
titles (such as chartered financial analyst) without to those for other occupations that almost cer-
prohibiting uncertified work, while registration re- tainly present greater risks to the public. For ex-
quires workers to provide some personal informa- ample, the education requirements for personal
tion to the government. care occupations can be up to 13 times higher than
According to research by the Mercatus Center those for emergency medical technicians (EMTs):
at George Mason University, a research center Cosmetologists and barbers must complete 1,500
focused on market-oriented ideas, occupational hours of education, and skin care specialists 1,000
licensing restricts low-skill employment oppor- hours, while EMTs must complete only 110 hours.
tunities by placing barriers to entry on jobs that In July 2018, Georgia became one of just four states
would otherwise be performed by people with lim- in the country to require a license for lactation con-
ited training. The often high cost of licenses can sultants, who help new mothers to breastfeed their
raise costs of products and services to consumers, infants, requiring roughly two years of college courses
which disproportionately affects the poor. Licens- and more than 300 hours of supervised clinical work.
ing has also been found to place a disparate burden The move put Georgia’s more than 800 qualified lac-
on minorities and military spouses, among other tation consultants out of work. At current licensure
populations, and also to exacerbate income in- rates, there is now just one lactation consultant for
equality. A 2018 study by the Archbridge Institute, every 1,300 babies born in Georgia, with minority
a non-partisan public policy think tank, found that and rural communities suffering the most from the
occupational licensing is linked to reduced eco- change. The rule is currently under court challenge
nomic mobility. from a group of lactation consultants.
Separate studies by the Brookings Institute, a Here in Savannah, the city council voted in Oc-
non-partisan public policy organization, and the tober 2015 to repeal a tour guide licensing law that
Obama White House have found some benefits to required guides to pass a 100-question multiple
licensure in the form of a slight wage premium for choice exam that might have nothing to do with
workers, longer job tenure, and lower unemploy- the subject of their tour, and to pay an annual li-
ment rates. Of course, these advantages at least censing fee. Penalties included fines of up to $1,000
partially reflect the exclusive rights that licensed or 30 days in jail. The city council repealed the law
workers are granted for certain types of work, with after a court challenge.
corresponding disadvantages imposed on unli- In 2018, Georgia’s House of Representatives
censed workers. These studies also found deficits passed HR 1374 to create a study committee on pro-
around income inequality and minority access fessional licensing boards’ operations and funding,
consistent with the findings from Mercatus and and HR 744 to perform periodic reviews of existing
Archbridge. regulatory entities with licensure purview. HB 773,
currently under consideration, would direct oc-
Licensure in Georgia cupational licensing boards to recognize licenses
According to IJ research, Georgia’s licensing from the same industry from other states, a change
laws for lower-income occupations rank as the that would be especially helpful to Georgia’s large
14th most burdensome in the country, requiring, population of military families.
on average, $185 in fees, 464 days of education and IJ recommends that Georgia reduce or repeal
experience, and, on average, about two exams. its heavy burdens for cosmetologists, barbers, skin
Georgia licenses some occupations more oner- care specialists, and other occupations, or replace
ously than many other states do. Pipelayer con- them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives
tractors, for example, must demonstrate 1,097 days such as inspections or voluntary certification.

Q&A
Full STEAM Ahead

BY HEATHER OHLMAN
Careers in science, technology, engineering and

mathematics (STEM) are among the fastest growing
careers in the United States. Every day, teachers prepare
their students for a future job in STEM that may not even
exist yet.
Helping bridge the gap between the classroom and STEM’s
ever-changing business and industry is CEISMC (The
Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics,
and Computing) through the Georgia Institute of
Technology. CEISMC’s annual programming serves more
than 1,000 students and 80 teachers in Bryan, Chatham,
Effingham and Liberty counties, as well as satellite camps
JOHN CARRINGTON
for rural communities.

The success of CEISMC’s camps, weekend workshops
and classroom projects with robotics, coding, virtual reality,
logistics, entrepreneurship and more, shows students are
In conversation with Timothy Cone, CEISMC “willing to do much more than play with Snapchat on
program director, Georgia Tech/Savannah their phones,” says Timothy Cone, program director for
CEISMC.
CEISMC also offers professional development for
Note: This interview was edited for space and teachers. “There’s a direct connection we [CEISMC] can
clarity. For more of our conversation, visit
savannahnow.com/beacon. make with students, but that’s very limited. In Chatham
County alone, there are more than 30,000 children. The
question is how can we have a greater impact on the
individual classrooms and what they’re actually learning
on a day-to-day basis?”
Serving as program director since 2018, Cone shares how
STEM education strengthens our future workforce and
why local businesses should get involved.
32 BEACON
How would you describe what these students are going to be Can you share about how
students’ awareness of doing 5, 10 or 15 years down the road. you engage local business
and interest in STEM Those careers, jobs and companies owners and industry
programming? don’t exist. We have to be very strate- partners to participate in the
In the last two years we’re seeing a gic that we don’t get caught up in the programming you do?
big shift. When I first came into this technology that’s new and relevant, We try to show local businesses and
job, STEM was out there, but it didn’t but that we have a strong emphasis on industries that they don’t have to wait
have much of an identity. Now, STEM the process of learning and teaching until a kid is out of high school to in-
is really celebrated. We see initiatives students how to quickly adapt, learn vest in the next generation of potential
coming from the presidential level, new things and to teach them problem employees. Early exposure is incredibly
STEM competitions, nerd culture say- solving. important. Industry folks serve as judges
ing it’s OK to be smart. STEM has be- and volunteers for competitions we host
come an integrated piece within a lot What cross-marketable skills on campus. The other aspect is working
of schools. do STEM activities teach that with businesses to create programming
will strengthen our future so [that] students are better prepared for
Savannah is known for its arts workforce and give students a what opportunities exist. For example,
community. Do you think its competitive advantage? the “Make It! Move It!” summer pro-
STEM community is just as Integrated with everything is how gram was an entirely community-driven
prominent? to be creative, how to problem solve, program.
From an overall STEM perspective, and how to be adaptable to what’s
there are really interesting things hap- next. Are there any misconceptions
pening in Chatham and surrounding about the STEM industry you
counties that are uniquely Coastal Are our students being well find yourself correcting?
Empire. prepared for the workforce? Sometimes you see certain ap-
The side that’s exciting to see grow I would hope every group working proaches, not necessarily here, that
is integrating the arts with STEM in a with K-12 students would say they say, “these are our STEM students.” I
meaningful way [called STEAM]. It’s could be doing more. Because of how would argue that STEM and STEAM
another element to be creative with. If quickly things change, you have to al- is a more holistic approach to how we
you have a student traditionally inter- ways think how you’re going to make teach a modern student and prepare
ested in dance, being able to integrate it better so students can continue to them for a modern workforce. It’s for
technology with their piece gives them be successful. As soon as we become everybody.
a new way to express themselves. stagnant — that’s when we get behind.
How can we grow our STEM-
Research shows a gender gap related business and industry
in STEM fields. Is that true like big tech in Savannah?
among your participating It starts with K-12 students to show
students? we have a potential workforce that
I don’t see it as much in elementa- could support it. Senate Bill 108 will
ry and middle school. When you get to require all public high schools by the
high school, there is a gap, and it’s pres- 2024-2025 school year to offer com-
ent at the university level and work- puter science courses in Georgia. I’m
force. What’s encouraging is there is a hoping Savannah and the surrounding
generation of young females growing communities with CEISMC can lead
up with STEM always being there. The the way in that area.
next 10-15 years we’re going to see a
shift — or we’re going to see the needle
move faster than it has historically.
What are the challenges in

trying to prepare students for To learn more about CEISMC’s
a future in STEM? STEAM programs, go to ceismc.gatech.
The challenge is we don’t know edu/savannah/.

THE NEW JOB HUNTING
A Job-seeker’s Guide
to Hunting and Fishing
BY AMY PAIGE CONDON
During the decade from 2003 to 2013, the California-based company Brent Ash worked for doubled in
size. His annual income did the same. Then, last July, the company announced that it was merging with an-
other, and Ash, along with several of his colleagues, found himself out of a job and on the unemployment
line in a landscape that had changed dramatically since he had last gone hunting.
“I stayed where I stayed because I was learning and growing,” says Ash, who worked out of the firm’s
Southlake, Texas, office. “It was a passion industry — we all lived it. There wasn’t a reason to leave. Now, I
have 17 years of networking in one industry and that’s not helping.”
He’s also of “a certain age and income level” that makes it harder to find a job when he’s competing in
the marketplace with younger applicants who don’t have the same salary demands, have the nimbleness to
relocate, and wield mad computer and technology skills.
Like those graduating now, Ash is learning just what it takes — strategy and patience — to find a job in
a tight market in 2020.
Strengthen Your Networks
“Networking is still the most important aspect TOP 5 SKILLS EMPLOYERS WANT
of job searching,” advises Ash, who participates in TO SEE ON STUDENT RESUMES
a group called H.O.P.E. (Help One Person Every-
■ Problem-solving skills
day) that holds meet-ups for professionals to share ■ Ability to work in a team
leads and opportunities. ■ Strong work ethic
You don’t have to look far to send your pros- ■ Analytic/quantitative skills
pecting tendrils out into the community. Tap your ■ Written communication skills
friends, family, fraternities and sororities, fellow Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers, Job Outlook 2020
church members, alumni associations, social groups
and social media for any and every tip or pointer.
Identify three to five people a day you can connect
with. Treat your job search like your day job. to craft multiple versions of your resume depending
upon the type(s) of job(s) you apply to.
Sharpen Your Resume
“Most resumes now are reviewed first by soft- Master LinkedIn
ware, not humans,” says Ash. “LinkedIn is the social media arm of working
It’s true. With the advent of Applicant Tracking professionals,” says Ash, and nearly every job search
Systems (ATS) and aggregators like indeed.com, sites underscores its value. Ash offers the following
even smaller businesses have the ability to cull to make the most of your online presence:
through resumes quickly to weed out the ones that Although it’s an intense process, optimize your
aren’t a match — and those matches are often made online profile to make sure all of the sections are
through keyword searches. So, creating a tightly or- fleshed out with work experiences, professional ac-
ganized, easy-to-scan resume for both technology complishments, awards and honors.
and humans is critical, and may even require you Familiarize yourself with LinkedIn’s particular
34 BEACON
POLISH YOUR RESUME
Resume-writing service Zipjob.com offers
these suggestions:
nomenclature. “Part of the challenge at ■ Use a fresh, modern font, such as Verdana
or Arial, in 14-point for headings and
the beginning was figuring out the more com- 11-12-point for the body
mon terms in keyword searches,” he confides. ■ Organize and label each section clearly
For example, a category direc- with simple, classic headings, such as
tor in the real world may be Professional Experience, Education
a category manager online. ■ Emphasize both hard and soft skills in
If you are able, pay accordance with the key words used in the
job listing
for the premium service, ■ Use active, vibrant language, and avoid
which allows you to search clichés
hiring managers and in-
dustry leaders. “Social me-
dia makes learning about
someone easier,” he says.
“Don’t ever use the pre-
Green Goals
populated messages,” Ash In February, the U.S. Department
warns. Always compose of Labor reported that employment in
personal messages that environmental and conservation organizations
show you’ve done your re- tripled between 2001 and 2019, indicating
that climate resiliency contributes to job
search. creation and innovation.
Two recent reports by Savannah Morning
Peruse Job Boards News’ Mary Landers affirms the growth
From CareerBuilder and Dice to potential for Chatham County.
MediaBistro and Idealist, there are online Savannah’s city council has proposed a
resolution that all city facilities be 100 percent
boards for just about every profession, and they often supported by safe, renewable energy sources
have information for people looking for internships by 2035, with a further goal that the entire city
and apprenticeships to gain valuable work experience. will be powered by renewable sources by 2050.
These are a great way to find “people who can help Solar power, Landers reports in another
without spending a lot of money,” says Ash. article, is one of manufacturing’s most
Use job listings to tailor searches of websites of promising growth areas. Between 2018-2019,
solar power-related jobs, including installations,
companies you might be interested in applying to, and increased by 30 percent. If more favorable
check out a company’s culture on Glassdoor.com to get policies were enacted at state and local levels,
a sense of employee satisfaction. such as tax credits and other incentives for
low-income homeowners and small businesses,
this industry could blossom.
Impacts of Automation
Global financial consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, PcW, recently analyzed tasks undertaken by more than 200,000
different jobs across the world to assess how those jobs would be impacted by automation, such as robotics and artificial
intelligence (AI).
PwC identified that impacts will come in three waves over the next two decades: algorithmic, augmentation, and autonomy. The
automation impacts will be low in the early years, but as technology matures it could replace as many as 30 percent of jobs at all
education and income levels, including in the financial, transportation and health sectors. Jobs that rely more on personal contact
and social skills will be the least affected over time; whereas, employment dependent upon efficient and timely calculations may be
hit hardest in the early years. To download the full report, “Will Robots Really Steal Our Jobs?,” go to pwc.co.uk.

Q&A
From Cradle
to Career
BY HEATHER OHLMAN
Child care plays a vital role in children’s early learning and development, but
it also directly impacts our workforce. Local employers cite affordable quality
child care centers with flexible schedules — as well as availability and quality
workforce — as top concerns, according to Propel Savannah, a 2019 strategic
plan by the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA).
To address these child care and workforce concerns, and to comply with
federal and state mandates, SEDA’s board of directors unanimously approved
creating a $375,000 Workforce Initiatives Fund in December 2019. This fund
COURTESY OF ENVIROVAC
would help licensed child care facilities in Chatham County become Quality
Rated through capital improvement mini-grants. Federal and state mandates
required licensed child care centers to be Quality Rated by December 2020 in
order to accept children who require subsidized tuition.
Kevin Jackson, former SEDA chairman and president/CEO of EnviroVac,
In Conversation with led the SEDA Workforce Group, comprised of SEDA staff and board members,
Kevin Jackson, president/CEO, that established the Workforce Initiatives Fund.
EnviroVac Would a grant like this have been cerns and issues, our research and dis-
on your radar had there not been cussion quickly focused on the challenge
legislation requiring childcare of licensed child care facilities becoming
Note: This interview was edited facilities to be quality rated by Quality Rated by deadline. By address-
for space and clarity. For more ing this critical and immediate need, we
December 2020?
of our conversation, visit knew we could have a real impact with
The short answer is probably not.
savannahnow.com/beacon. very tangible results.
Child care, transportation, and other
big workforce issues have always been One of the great things to come from
on SEDA’s radar, but the Quality Rated this mandate is that Quality Rated is a
deadline certainly prompted our team to designation that means these centers
seek solutions that would reduce the risk have improved their curriculum and the
of families being left without affordable level of training their staff has, in addi-
childcare through the CAPS (Child and tion to physical improvements. So, in
Parent Services) program. The deadline turn, we are getting a number of centers
gave the group a piece of low-hanging that are offering a higher level of care and
fruit that they could potentially impact, curriculum and that’s good for every stu-
that has both short- and long-term impli- dent in the building whether they receive
cations. While the task force was formed a scholarship or not. Even better is that
to discuss a variety of workforce con- this high-quality curriculum will be im-
36 BEACON
pacting students year after year as new As a business owner, why Do you think business owners
students enter these centers, having would this grant also be should consider providing
an exponential positive return on our important to you? on-site childcare for their
investment. If a business owner doesn’t have a employees? What effect do
The Workforce Initiatives Fund was quality, reliable workforce, they will you think this would have on
created by the SEDA Workforce Group have difficulties within the business. employee retention?
and approved by the SEDA Board of Having Quality Rated child care is Each business owner has to do what
Directors. This fund is what allows the just one piece of the pie. We also need is best for his/her business and the
mini-grants for capital improvements. to ensure our current workforce has employees, because at the end of the
In later years, the fund may be used quality, reliable child care options so day, they still have a business to run. I
for different opportunities to address that they can come to work without think if the employer has the resources
workforce issues. The fund is funded worrying about challenges with child to provide on-site child care, then that
by SEDA. care. It’s a future workforce issue and a is something they can consider. I also
current human resources issue. believe we have some amazing child
What is the effect of having care facilities in Chatham County that
more childcare facilities How would you encourage can provide excellent care.
Quality Rated? other business owners to There are state incentives available
The immediate impact of becoming support their employees with if you decide to support your em-
a Quality Rated child care facility is that children? ployees with child care whether on or
the facilities will continue to be able to As a business owner, I strive to sup- off-site. There are many benefits and
offer subsidized tuition for families in port all of our employees. They have perks that can help the retention rate
need. This includes all children in fos- families, they have those that they care of your employees, and childcare is
ter care, children with special needs, about in their lives. I would encourage certainly one of them.
and children living in poverty. every business owner to show compas-
If a child loses his or her subsidy, sion and understanding when working This grant is an important step
the family is immediately disrupted with any employee. I also challenge in supporting our existing and
and forced to look for alternative care business owners to be supportive of a future workforce. What else
or reconfigure finances to make up for childcare center that serves your em- can be done to support our
the difference. This means a parent’s ployees, whether that is a donation of future workforce?
availability for work may be disrupted. talent, time or treasure. The Workforce Group is evaluating
the programs, solutions and impacts
How do you think this affects we can have from cradle to career. This
our existing and future mini-grant is just the first of what we
workforce? hope will be many solutions we bring
I think it’s pretty well known that to the table.
the earlier we can get a child into the
education system, the better for that Many business owners report
child, family and our community. an ability to attract and
Those early years are the foundation retain skilled employees as a
of his or her future. While the Work- challenge. How have you met
force Initiative Fund will be used for this challenge?
capital improvements, the Quality This challenge is not unique to any
Rated system requires curriculum en- industry or geographic location. We are
hancements that will reduce the need constantly searching for solutions. Em-
for remediation later in life. ployee pay is obviously a huge factor in
In a study titled, Early Childhood attracting and retaining talent but pro-
Programs as an Economic Develop- viding a good work-life balance and pro-
ment Tool: Investing Early to Prepare viding benefits that address childcare,
the Future Workforce, Timothy Bar- health and other factors is important.
tik, a senior economist with the W.E. At EnviroVac, I am also proud of the
Upjohn Institute for Employment Re- company culture we have created. You
search explains, “For every $1 spent on spend more time with your coworkers
high-quality early learning programs, than you do your family sometimes. It
$8 to $16 is returned to society, largely is important to build an environment
through reduced future costs of crime that makes people excited and want to
and government assistance.” come to work each day.

PRESERVING THE PAST | PURSUING THE FUTURE
ACCELERATING GLOBAL COMMERCE
GAPORTS.COM
FEATURES
On the
Right
Track
At the intersection
of education and the
economy lies the
potential of every
Savannahian to
contribute. How do we
prepare our almost-
adults for the jobs that
are here and now as
well as those that will
be? How do we meet
the unemployed and
disenfranchised where
they are so that they can
provide for themselves,
their families, and their
futures? How do we
disrupt the school-to-
prison pipeline that robs
so many of their hope
and possibility?
Meet the people and

programs that are
making a difference. »

40 BEACON
THE BUSINESS
OF EDUCATION
If pre-K through
8th grade helps
students develop
critical thinking,
enhance creativity
and communication,
and hone collaborative
working techniques,
then high school and
beyond must help
students focus on their
passions and sharpen
their technical skills
so that they can, as
Superintendent M. Ann
Levett says, “enroll,
enlist, or employ” once
they cross that stage
with diploma in hand.
New partnerships are

bringing emerging
and established
industries into
COURTESY OF GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
the classroom and

preparing our kids for
their next step in life.

THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION
In This
Together
Area businesses and industries team
up with local high schools, colleges and
universities to meet workforce needs
42 BEACON
BY ALLISON HERSH
Raniya Simmons, a 10th grade

student at Alfred E. Beach High
School who plans to become a
neonatal nurse, carefully wraps a
blood pressure cuff around a pa-
tient’s arm at the new Communi-
ty Education and Health Screen-
ing Clinic, located on the school’s
westside Savannah campus. After
recording the patient’s blood pres-
sure, Simmons draws blood and
conducts a screening to evaluate
the patient’s overall health.
“I like getting to work with
people and getting the hands-
on experience I need to succeed
in the healthcare field,” she says
with a smile. “I want to be ready
to go out into the real world.”
Simmons is currently enrolled
in the Medical and Allied Health-
care Services Program at Beach
High School and is working to-
ward phlebotomy as well as pa-
tient care technician certifications.
St. Joseph’s/Candler has part-
nered with Savannah-Chatham
County Public Schools (SCCPSS)
to train talented students like
Simmons to be the healthcare
providers of tomorrow. The
healthcare system provides a
nurse practitioner to staff the
new clinic at Beach High School,
which is free for those who lack
insurance and open to the public
20 hours a week, and to supervise
the students on-site. In addition,
St. Joseph’s/Candler donated nee-
dles, blood draw chairs, privacy
curtains and other items to help
train students in the communi-
ty-focused clinic.
“We want to spark their interest
in healthcare so they become reg-
istered nurses, nurse practitioners,
physical therapists, physicians or
any of the numerous disciplines
that the field of healthcare has to
offer,” said Paul P. Hinchey, pres-
ident and CEO of St. Joseph’s/
Candler. “From our perspective,
we need to train the next genera-
tion and, at the same time, inspire
them to excel. There is a huge op-
portunity for private businesses to
work with students and develop
the workforce Savannah needs to
continue to be a healthy and vi-
brant community to live in.”

A community health fair in January at Buckingham South Assisted Living.
According to the The Community Education and Health training in high school,” Lewis explains,
Screening Clinic at Beach High School is adding that SCCPSS offers 120 different
American Association the latest example of Savannah-Chatham programs organized in 17 distinct career
of Colleges of Nursing County Public Schools partnering with clusters, from agriculture and consumer sci-
area companies as part of a win-win situ- ences to architecture and culinary arts. “That
(AACN), the U.S. is ation that benefits students, who get cut- gives them a leg-up. They’re work-ready.”
facing a nursing ting-edge, industry-relevant experience, as Working with area companies has been
well as community partners, who gain ac- key to the success of these programs, each
shortage, fueled by cess to work-ready graduates who can meet of which is developed in close collabora-
urgent workforce development needs. tion with industry partners.
retiring professionals ■ “Our corporate partners help us stay
and an aging “The overall vision is to prepare our on top of the latest expectations that are
kids for college and careers at the same required in that field,” Lewis says. “They
population. The Bureau time,” explains Dr. Angie Lewis, senior evaluate our curriculum and help us
of Labor Statistics director of the Office of College and Ca- choose equipment. They don’t just write
reer Readiness at SCCPSS. “Our students a check. They offer ‘sweat equity,’ so to
predicts we will need learn all the skills they need to be success- speak and donate equipment. We really
ful in their field.” depend on them to make sure our curric-
nearly 204,000 new More than 6,000 high school students ulum and equipment are up-to-date.”
registered nurses are currently enrolled in career-focused Gulfstream offered new equipment and
education programs through the public tools to the aviation maintenance program
nationwide by 2026. school system. Students choose a career at Robert W. Groves High School and
pathway, which is similar to a major in the flight operations program at Wood-
college, at the end of the eighth grade and ville-Tompkins Technical and Career High
work toward certifications in their field, School. Members First Credit Union and
all of which are provided at no cost to the Savannah Schools Federal Credit Union
student or his or her family. representatives work closely with students
“These students are getting hands-on in the accounting, banking and business
44 BEACON
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100% of proceeds fund student scholarships.
programs at Woodville-Tompkins. The Kessler
Collection recently donated $500,000 to reno-
vate the hospitality lab at Woodville-Tompkins,
creating simulated hotel rooms modeled after
the state-of-the-art guest rooms at The Bohemi-
an on River Street. Georgia Ports Authority rep-
resentatives help students learn about shipping
and receiving as part of the maritime logistics and
warehouse programs at Groves High School (see
article on page 48).
“It’s very important that we work with busi-
ness and industry,” Lewis adds. “We cannot af-
ford to train students with skills that may be
outdated. Our corporate partners help us stay
on top of the latest expectations that are re-
quired in that particular field.”
■
Savannah Technical College President Dr.
Kathy Love also believes in the power of corpo-
rate partnerships.
“We could not be successful in what we do
without our industry partners,” she explains.
“Everything we do is workforce development-re-
lated.”
Savannah Tech has a program advisory com-
mittee comprised of representatives in the local
business community who review, evaluate and
make recommendations regarding curriculum
and equipment.
Savannah Tech features more than 150 pro-
grams or majors serving more than 5,700 stu-
dents. The institution’s latest job placement rate
is 93.7 percent, which Love attributes, in part, to
the strong relationships Savannah Tech has built
with industry partners.
Gulfstream is a major force behind the insti-
tution’s new avionics program, which was devel-
oped in conjunction with the acclaimed aero-
space company. The program is helping to meet
the growing need for installers and technicians
in the avionics field.
At the same time, construction equipment
titan JCB has partnered with the industrial sys-
tems, welding and precision manufacturing pro-
grams to offer paid apprenticeships that lead to
high-paying jobs. The Savannah Film Academy
at Savannah Tech has close ties with the Savan-
nah Film Alliance, the Savannah Film Office and
the local film union, all of which help to ensure
that the program trains students to be work-
force-ready when they complete their program.
“Corporate partnerships are critical to our
success,” Love emphasizes. “The businesses ben-
efit and the students benefit.”
■
The same concept applies at Georgia South-
ern University, which also actively cultivates
relationships with business partners — from
Georgia Power to Coca-Cola — in order to sup-
port student success and to prepare graduates
for careers.
46 BEACON
HOW TO PREVENT BRAIN DRAIN
According to urban studies theorist Richard
Florida, “For more and more Americans, our zip
codes are our destiny, with our ability to achieve
economic mobility, pursue our careers, and afford
homes dependent on where we live.”
Communities with a mix of incomes,
accessible educational and training
opportunities, affordable housing, and
professional opportunities with increasing
wages are more likely to retain educated
workers. Conversely, communities with high
dropout rates, a preponderance of low-wage
jobs, and high housing costs tend to get “stuck.”
— “The Geography of Brain Drain in America”
by Richard Florida, citylab.com
“We’re not the ivory tower,” explains Provost

and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Carl
Reiber. “We regularly meet with executives at vari-
ous companies and they tell us what skill sets they
need and what’s on the horizon in their industry.”
With 26,000 students at three campuses in Sa-
vannah, Statesboro and Hinesville, Georgia South-
ern is dedicated to educating tomorrow’s leaders
and to meeting the changing needs of the regional
economy.
“In our strategic planning process, one of the things
we heard repeatedly is that Georgia Southern students
are career-ready when they graduate,” Reiber explains.
“We heard that from all of our stakeholders.”
Some business are doing more than just offering
internships or jobs to Georgia Southern graduates.
In 2018, Parker’s founder and CEO Greg Parker
made a landmark $5 million gift to name the uni-
versity’s Parker College of Business, funding stu-
dent scholarships, faculty research and other im-
portant initiatives.
“Through this gift to Georgia Southern, I hope to
make a lasting impact on the business community in
coastal Georgia,” Parker says. “I truly believe in edu-
cation’s power to transform lives and have a strong
commitment to giving back to the community.”
Reiber says generous gifts like Parker’s are vital
to support student success, but they also bene-
fit regional companies. “Greg sees his investment
coming back to him with a lot of return on invest-
ment,” Reiber says. “Through his gift, he is helping
train 21st-century business majors.”
Georgia Southern is working closely with re-
gional business leaders to develop what Reiber calls
“next-generation curriculum” and to cultivate talent
to meet regional workforce development needs. The
university currently partners with St. Joseph’s/Can-
dler in nursing, Georgia Ports Authority in logistics
and JCB in engineering, to name a few examples.
“All of these companies are heavily reliant on
Georgia Southern graduates, but we’re heavily re-
liant on these companies because they provide op-
portunities for our students,” Reiber says. “These
linkages with our business partners are essential.”

THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION
Movers and
Makers
With focus on career pathways,
high school graduates are ready
for the workplace
BY TANIA JUNE SAMMONS
“Logistics keeps the world moving,” Osiris Franklin explains.

“And I like to be part of it,” he adds with a grin.
Franklin, a senior at Groves High School, is finishing up a Busi-
ness Logistics Management Pathway as part of his high school cur-
riculum. After four years of study he’s ready to move on and pleased
that he didn’t have to chose between college and the military.
As part of Georgia’s Career, Technical, and Agricultural Edu-
cation (CTAE) initiative, which seeks to leverage industry part-
nerships to ensure students have the skills they need to thrive in
a future workforce, the Business Logistics Management Pathway
leads students to good-paying jobs at the Georgia Ports Authority
or other local industry leaders such as Gulfstream, Freightliner, or
Port City Logistics.
Gina Smith, instructor-coordinator for the Pathway at Groves
brings the program to life for her students. “I bring a lot of differ-
ent people into the classroom and introduce students to different
careers.”
Smith recently switched careers after working 25 years at a car
dealership and draws upon that experience to create a business
atmosphere in her classroom. “I treat the students like they’re my
employees.”
She also embraces her role as a teacher and takes pride in her
students’ success. “I love to see the kids get excited about learn-
ing, to see their faces light up, and to see them prosper.”
She teaches fundamentals of logistics, operations, and mate-
rial management. She helps them accumulate certifications such
as CPR, CERT, OSHA 10, HAZMAT, and the coveted Transpor-
tation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card, a federally
required pass for access to secure areas of the nation’s maritime
facilities and vessels. They also learn how to manage warehouses,
JOHN CARRINGTON
distribution, and drive forklifts. While other students are work-

ing on their SAT scores and ROTC maneuvers, Smith’s students
are building their resumes.
48 BEACON
Georgia Ports says Y.E.S.
This year the Georgia Ports Authority is expanding and
developing programs to offer unique professional oppor-
tunities for both area high school and statewide college stu-
dents.
“I’m just excited to see more young people come through
the program,” says Lise Altman, chief human resources officer
for the Georgia Ports Authority. “They bring so many new and
great ideas to the table and are extremely motivated to get out
there and work.”
Griff Lynch, executive director, announced the GPA’s de-
cision to expand the existing Youth learning Experience and
Safety (Y.E.S.) program and unveiled the new GET S.E.T (Safety,
Efficiency, Technology) at the Georgia Foreign Trade Confer-
ence in early February.
The year-long Y.E.S. on-the-job training program is geared
toward area high school seniors who are preparing to graduate.
“We’re currently in our second year of the Y.E.S. program,” says
Altman. “We had six participants last year, four of which gradu-
ated and now work with us at the ports. This year we have eight
students and they’re already doing a fantastic job. They’re about
to graduate the program and be turned loose in the next few
months. The students sign up while they’re still attending school
and then come to us in August when they graduate; they work
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for 5 days a week and get paid $15 an hour.”
The students use a number of electronic simulators before
actually learning to operate the equipment itself. Students are
trained to operate forklifts, top-lifts, and rubber-tired gantry’s
(RTG). After graduating the program, they can progress to op-
erating the large ship-to-shore crane, which lifts shipping con-
tainers between cargo ships and the port itself.
“Each student is also assigned a mentor who helps them
learn soft skills,” adds Altman. “They teach the students sim-
ple things like timeliness and preparedness, as well as teach-
ing them about savings, retirement, insurance, and balancing
checkbooks – things like that.”
“I think this a great opportunity for kids who are about to
graduate high school and don’t want to follow the route of at-
tending college,” says Altman. “We go to local high schools to
canvas and complete interviews, and all of the teachers and ca-
reer counselors we’ve met with have been wonderful sources
of help in getting the kids signed up and helping them through
the paperwork.”
GPA hopes to expand its Y.E.S. entrants to 10 next year, with
50 annual participants as the long-term goal.
GET SET is still in development, but the idea, says Altman,
is to create a competition for college students to develop sug-
gestions and solutions to combat some of the current problems
faced by the maritime shipping industry. College students and/
or student teams who submit winning entries within GET SET
will receive a $25,000 prize.
Altman explains that GPA plans to award its first prize
around summer 2021.
She is proof-positive that someone can build a career at GPA.
“I’m very thankful for my own opportunity to work here at the
ports,” Altman says. “I’ve been here for 19 years and over that
time have made my way up to my current position. This job has
enabled me to set up a great retirement and insurance plan as
well as support my family.”
Students interested in the Y.E.S. program should consult
with their guidance or career counselors to see if their school is
included in the enrollment process.
—John Singer March 2020 BEACON 49
“Logistics is the mothership program provides a two-week
of all careers,” Smith says. “We audio, video, technical, and film
focus on the big picture of the (AVTF) training, a one-week
global supply chain and raw ma- dramatic writing course, and,
terials.” next summer, they’ll add a one-
Alexis Ventura, a junior at week AVID post-production ed-
Groves, loves the hands-on op- iting course. Since the program
portunities in the program. “We began in 2016, they’ve trained
use real machines,” he says en- approximately 300 teachers, in-
thusiastically, and adds with a cluding several in the Savannah/
glint in his eye, “if you know what Chatham County area.
you’re doing, it’s easy money.” After trainings, the GFA pro-
Ventura and Franklin repre- vides teachers with classroom
sent two success stories. Ventu- curricula aligned to the Geor-
ra recently landed his first job at gia Department of Education
the Savannah-based company standards and offers additional
Fulfillment.com. follow-up support. The dramat-
Franklin serves as the school’s ic writing course, developed in
warehouse manager, is compet- 'Logistics is the 2018, became the first arts-in-
ing in the SkillsUSA state cham- tegrated course that also counts
pionship for CPR, and recently mothership of as an ELA unit for high school
received the Coastal Georgia graduation and an English unit
Learning System’s Award of all careers. We for the University System of
Excellence from State Superin- Georgia admissions. “This is a
tendent Richard Woods. This
spring he plans to apply for the
focus on the big game changer,” says Lee.
DeVon Moore, a senior at Sa-
Georgia Ports Authority’s Y.E.S.
(Youth learning Equipment
picture of the vannah Arts Academy (SAA), is
currently enrolled in the Georgia
and Safety) training program.
This competitive, paid intern-
global supply Film Academy as part of his high
school dual enrollment program.
ship offers equipment training,
mentorship, and enhances the
chain and raw He spends two afternoons a
week at the academy hub at Sa-
student’s employability at the
Georgia Ports Authority (see
materials.' vannah Technical College, one of
the GFA’s sixteen partner univer-
sidebar, p. 49). GINA SMITH sities or technical colleges.
■ Instructor-coordinator Moore entered Savannah Arts
The Business Logistics Man- for the pathway program as a communications major, a
agement Pathway was devel- at Groves High School program that later changed to
oped locally, but the Georgia film studies. “At first, I didn’t
Film Academy was established know if I could do it,” he con-
on a state level. In response to fesses. But after successfully
the growing film industry in directing two films about bas-
the state, a legislative initiative ketball, which were included
supported by then-Gov. Nathan in SAA’s film festival, his confi-
Deal created the GFA in 2016. dence grew. “I realized I can do
Set up as part of the University this.”
and Technical Systems of Geor- “We send over a handful of
gia, the academy provides Geor- students each year [to GFA at
gians the opportunity to receive Savannah Tech],” says SAA film
film industry training. instructor Marc Beringson. The
“Our goal is to provide a full GFA enhances film instruction
eco-system of the film and tv in- offered at SAA, and provides stu-
dustry,” says Josh Lee, the GFA’s dents with additional hands-on
manager of strategy and oper- experience and networking op-
ations, and overseer of the sec- portunities.
ondary education program. Unlike the teacher-trained
The academy’s high school classes in high schools, dual en-
initiative trains teachers to rollment students receive the
teach students about the field. same credit as adult students at
Offered during the summer, the the Georgia Film Academy, for
50 BEACON
free. After completing 18 cred- Summer 500 Program Gets a Rebrand
it hours, all enrolled students
leave the program with a GFA A popular Savannah career devel- The city finalized a proposal from
certification, and a solid under- opment program for local teens is WorkBay.net, an interactive career
standing of the film industry, es- undergoing a re-branding and fresh development platform which links
pecially the technical elements. facelift under the new city adminis- recruitment, skill building and ca-
As a requirement for his ad- tration. reer navigation into one system that
vanced GFA course, Moore City officials recently unveiled a new can be accessed on both traditional
recently served as the first as- focus for the Summer 500 Youth Em- computers and mobile phone apps.
sistant camera on the set of a ployment Program, which will now be The company says its technology
SCAD student film. He worked titled – LIFT UP Savannah – a acronym provides solutions for communities to
under the director of photogra- for Local Internships for Teens Unlock close workforce gaps by providing tools
phy, and was tasked with chang- Possibilities of Savannah. and data analytics to all stakeholders –
ing lenses, slating scenes, and After taking office in January, May- students, teachers, businesses – in an
general help on the set. or Van Johnson set about assessing evolving and expanding economy.
Beringson and Moore ex- many of the city’s programs including City officials shared that a $35,000
plain that when film produc- ways to elevate and expand Summer grant will cover costs for re-launch-
tions come to Savannah, they 500, city officials shared. ing the program and providing the
first look to the GFA to fill their “It’s really all about creating more technology upgrades for its first year.
needs. High-level films want ex- opportunity,” said Glenn Hull, stra- The online career system replac-
perienced industry workers. tegic initiatives manager for the city. es the program’s former methods,
The opportunity to meet and “[Former mayor Eddie] DeLoach was which used spreadsheets, paper files
network with people in the film a champion for the kids, and Mayor and phone calls to figure out where
industry is another important Johnson wants to expand on this and applicants were interested in work-
aspect of the course. At Georgia reach those disenfranchised students ing, where their skills lay, and which
Film Academy, “You’re audition- who might not have the ability to businesses would be a best fit.
ing for your first job,” Moore says. make a connection in our workforce.” “The goal of the city is to create
Beringson concurs. “Once Launched four years ago by the that connection where naturally it
you land your first job, and you previous city administration, the pro- does not exist and narrow the gap
do good work, that will lead to gram partners with local schools and between the kids who want those
your next gig.” businesses to place Savannah teens internships and the businesses that
GFA and SAA are “good about ages 16 and older into paid intern- need them,” Hull added.
connecting us to people in the ships with area businesses during the With new technology in place,
industry,” Moore says. summer. Savannah 500 develops stu- city officials say it would take the
He plans to pursue a career dents’ workforce skills and broadens guesswork out of linking students to
in film, with hopes to one day their career horizons. Last year alone, jobs, and establish an online profile
become a director. His path will the program enrolled 365 students, which students can continue to use
take him to film school at Geor- linking them with nearly 100 local and update in connecting with high-
gia State. He plans to stay con- employers and industries. er education institutions and future
nected to the film industry by Mayor Johnson made the re-brand- employers.
working in the field during the ing announcement earlier this month, Although the name and brand
summers, and when possible, on sharing a new direction for Summer have changed, city officials say the
day gigs, called “day play.” 500. Now known as LIFT UP, this new mission of the Summer 500 Youth
Beringson emphasizes the focus will place a heavier emphasis on Employment Program remains, con-
goal of getting students ready technology, creating an online portal necting students who want to work
for work. “College isn’t a re- for students to undertake skills train- with businesses who need their help
quirement in the film industry. ing, career assessments, and create — creating a stronger business com-
We have students who leave online profiles which will be used to munity in the process.
SAA and walk right into a job.” match with employers that best suit “If we as a community are going
CTAE pathways guide stu- students’ preferences and skill sets. It’s to be competitive on a regional, na-
dents to a future workforce all part of a vision to bring the latest tional and global scale we’re going
and prepare them for life after technology to the internship program to need a qualified workforce,” Hull
school. They also teach students and utilize platforms that students are said. “What better place to start then
about teamwork. “I like how ev- most comfortable with. right here in Savannah?”
eryone works together,” Osiris “First and foremost, we’re trying to Students and businesses interested
Franklin reflects. bring technology into this equation, in taking part in LIFT UP Savannah
“It’s all about collaboration,” something we haven’t had with this can sign up for the new youth em-
DeVon Moore says. “You never program in the previous four years,” ployment program through the city’s
work alone.” Hull shared. “It’s a win-win for every- website, www.savannahga.gov.
body.” --Steven Alford

BUSINESS OF EDUCATION
The BY CHAD FARIES
Ripple
Superintendent Dr. M. Ann
Levett has a goal for every stu-
dent who comes through the
Savannah-Chatham County
Public School System (SCCPSS):
“enrolled, enlisted or employed.”
And, after a meeting with rep-
resentatives from the Savan-
nah Economic Development
Effect
Authority (SEDA), she found a
partner in helping to meet that
challenge.
In October of last year, SC-
CPSS and SEDA launched the
three-part Economic Develop-
ment for Education Profession-
als collaborative with the aim to
create more personal connec-
tions and lasting relationships
between key leadership in the
school system and area employ-
An innovative
ers. Leading the charge on the
SCCPSS side is Clyde Newton,
the district’s economic devel-
opment liaison — the person
collaboration connects responsible for establishing and

enhancing business and com-
munity partnerships. He engag-
educators with employers

es daily with area businesses and
industries to assess their needs
and convey that information to
educators and administrators
so that they have a clear under-
standing of workforce develop-
ment needs in our community.
“We have the human capital
in our school system that can
sustain this economy and help
it grow and thrive,” says New-
ton. “So, it is important that we
understand what makes it tick.
We have to prepare students for
what we know is going to take
place and not speculate.”
The first session, Economic
Development 101, was held at
SEDA’s offices on Hutchinson
Island and focused on building
relationships by showing the
breadth and depth of employ-
52 BEACON
ment opportunities available to companies.
graduating students. In January, educators explored “Creative Careers
“I work with a lot of employ- in Emerging Industries” at Savannah Technical
ers who are interested in con- College and the Creative Coast/NOVEL Co-work-
necting with the school system,” ing Space. The STC sessions featured a panel of
explains Leigh Acevedo, SEDA’s film and television professional from the Savannah
director of business retention, Regional Film Commission, Savannah State Uni-
“but they are not always aware versity, Alienworx, and other representing editing
how to do that or maybe intim- and production. The Creative Coast discussion, led
idated about what that would by executive director Jen Bonnet, spoke to the op-
require. We really wanted to portunities with the expanding Savannah Logistics
establish a program that would Technology Corridor.
introduce administrators, coun- This session already has led to new partnerships,
selors and educators to more di- says Acevedo. The STC Georgia Film Academy will
verse employers in the area, not produce recruitment videos for teacher hiring.
just those with high visibility. “This was an outcome that we didn’t project, but
Then we wanted to introduce now the students in that program are going to get
employers to programs in the experience producing a tool for the school system.
school system, and [to] individu- “There are small ripples we are now seeing al-
al teachers and principals, if pos- ready, and that is our hope, that we create opportu-
sible, so they could initiate mu- nities for people to develop their own relationships
tually beneficial programming.” and move them forward.”
Acevedo’s colleague Leia Ded- The third session took place this month and
ic, SEDA’s director of research featured a “Made or Moved” Savannah employer
and grant management, provid- panel. Newton and Acevedo are already eyeing the
ed context for the Coastal Geor- future. Moving forward, they envision an annual
gia region with economic and educator-employee program, incorporating more
demographic data, occupation- classroom teachers and targeted groups, such as
al opportunity projections, and school counselors.
wage information. Professionals “Now there are about 25 participants,” says Ace-
in those occupations were able vedo. “We might work with the school system to
to discuss the pathways they target specific populations as we roll out annual
took to succeed in their posi- projects. And, of course, our survey results will be
tions and what the future holds. evaluated, and we will adapt accordingly.”
“For example, in 10 years will
a particular job still be relevant
or growing, or [is it] one that 'I work with a lot of employers who are
might not be needed?” says Ded-
ic. “It is important that we have interested in connecting with the school
data to back some of the more
anecdotal information we gath- system, but they are not always aware
er.”
Educators played an inter-
active game on “How to Win a
how to do that or maybe intimidated
Project,” and listened to panel-
ists representing Freightliner,
about what that would require.'
Great Dane, GAF and Thunder- LEIGH ACEVEDO
bolt Marine. Afterward, they SEDA’s director of business retention
visited DIRTT, an ecoconscious
prefabricated interiors manu-
facturer, whose clients range
from start-ups to Fortune 500

BUSINESS OF EDUCATION
Teenage
CEOs
Entrepreneurial students turn
their passions into profits
BY ANTHONY GARZILLI
The music was blaring, the choir was singing, the bands
were rocking and there was a genuine buzz humming
throughout the Savannah Mall. It was a chilly Saturday
morning in January, but inside hundreds of students, par-
ents, teachers and patrons were immersed in the 11th an-
nual Student Success Expo and STEM Festival hosted by
Savannah-Chatham County Public School System.
The event, which showcased how students can tran-
sition to post-secondary education and potential ca-
reers and included interactive displays and the chance
to learn about pathways options in the district, also
shined a spotlight on some of the school district’s top
innovative minds via the Young Entrepreneurs and
Young Inventors Showcase. Myriad students were set
up on the second floor and demonstrated their entre-
preneurial pursuits.
Speaking above the event’s relentless din was no
problem for Jerry Houston, a junior at Groves High
School. He had a red velvet cupcake to sell.
Two years ago, Houston decided he wanted
to step outside of his comfort zone. He grew up
watching his grandmother cook and he always
wanted to see what he could do in the kitchen. At
age 15, Houston realized something: he had a pas-
sion for baking.
With encouragement from his friends at
Woodville-Tompkins, where he went to school
before transferring this school year to Groves,
Houston bought cake boxes and began baking
cupcakes. He sold his first cupcake for one dol-
lar. He learned recipes from YouTube and two
54 BEACON
Jerry Houston
Junior, Groves High School
Owner, Royalty Treats
years later, he launched

Royalty Treats.
The senior juggles school
work and his job as a shift
leader at Dairy Queen with
making sugar cookies and
other treats like macaroni and
cheese, hot wings, and chicken
and waffles on a stick.
“I look at my customers as
kings and queens,” he says. “I
want to provide my customers
with great quality treats and
great customer service.”
He’s in the kitchen baking at
least four or five times a week,
and last Christmas, he catered the
holiday party for the Groves High
varsity cheerleaders. The menu
included the aforementioned hot
wings and macaroni and cheese,
plus pasta, pineapple-orange-lem-
onade punch and, of course, red vel-
vet cupcakes.
“They are the biggest seller,” says
Houston, who promotes his business
on Instagram. After graduation, he
plans to attend Georgia State Univer-
sity and major in hospitality and tour-
ism. His goal is to be president of sales
and marketing at a Marriott.
Natural Beauty
Chastity W. Lasley, work-based learn-
ing coordinator at Groves, sees the bub-
bling talent in Kania Smart.
Smart, a senior, had been braiding hair
for her fellow students. Lasley, howev-
er, recognized that Smart exhibited mad
skills and had a passion to expand her ser-
vices. She encouraged Smart to be part of
the expo, and Smart embraced the idea.
Smart came up with her own business
DEN
plan for Kania’s Kreations and created

MOLLY HAY
a flyer for the expo, where she demon-

strates her ability to work deftly with natural
hair.
Smart says her philosophy is finding the
beauty in simplicity. “I’m doing simple styles
that will look pretty on them,” she explains.
“I want them to embrace their natural hair
more.”
Lasley, who is in her third year as a
work-based coordinator, said about 10 to
15 percent of her students have attained
jobs through the SCCPSS’s Pathways
program, which has partnered with
businesses such as Gulfsteam and Shaw
Industries.
There are 60 students (juniors and
seniors) in Lasley’s work-based pro-
gram. She said the application pro-
cess includes an essay on why the
student wants to be in the program
and requires teacher recommenda-
tions
“Not everyone will go to a four-
year university,” Lansley explains.
“We want them to have the op-
tion to go into a career and earn
a lucrative amount of money so
that they can take care of them-
selves.”
Smart already has eyes on
expanding her business. She
plans to go to college and in four or five years her goal is to hang out
her own shingle, focusing on natural hair and nails. Isaiah and Eric
Smart asserts, “Nothing’s stopping me.” Campbell
Freshman and senior, New
Good Sports Hampstead High School
For two years, Eric, a senior, and Isaiah Campbell, a freshman, Owners, Get on the
have been bringing sports highlights to the Coastal Empire. The New Bandwagon
Hampstead High brothers run Get on the Bandwagon, a boutique
production company that creates mixtapes of interviews and game
highlights for area athletes.
The Campbells can often be found at high school or middle school
gyms, recording all the action that they then upload to their You-
Tube channel. The highlights are posted for free but there’s a fee if
an individual player wants a personalized mixtape highlight video to
distribute to coaches and recruiters.
Their YouTube channel features complete game highlights of bas-
ketball, football and track events. The “flashier stuff” (dunks, cross-
overs) is featured on Instagram. Get on the Bandwagon has amassed
more than 700 YouTube subscribers and almost 4,000 Instagram fol-
lowers.
Eric Campbell says he filmed a game for a sports marketing project
in school and was hooked. “I started taking it more and more serious.”
On Friday nights during basketball season, Eric and Isaiah, are ev-
er-present courtside. Their hope is that their footage will help ath-
letes move to the next level.
“I want to get players recognized,” Eric Campbell says. “I have a
love, a drive, a passion to do more and more.”
56 BEACON
Kania Smart
Senior, Groves High School
Owner, Kania's Kreations
DEN
LLY HAY
Y BY MO
GRAPH
PHOTO

58 BEACON
WORKFORCE
TRAINING
Multiple agencies,
organizations, and
centers provide free
or low-cost programs,
from GED preparation
to forklift operation.
You don’t have to
travel far or go into
debt to get the
training you need to
realize a better future.
SIOBHAN EGAN

WORKFORCE TRAINING
Centers for
the People
City programs build skills,
bring big bucks for some
BY JESSICA LEIGH LEBOS
On any given weekday, the bright rooms of Moses Jackson

Advancement Center, 1410 Richards St., are bustling. Grand-
mothers pore over monitors in the computer lab, while GED
students ruminate over homework across the hall. The commer-
cial kitchen emanates delicious smells courtesy of participants
in a culinary certification class, while sweet tea is poured as folks
learn how to manage their credit score during Lunch N’ Learn.
The former elementary school in West Savannah shares a wall
with the adjoining Moses Jackson Golden Age Center and also
offers health services, income tax prep and a host of other help-
ful programs offered as part of free membership. But the center’s
main aim is to help people find employment that suits them —
and provides a living wage.
Overseen by the City of Savannah’s Human Services Depart-
ment, MJAC’s mission is to “increase member opportunities”
through targeted training programs administered by partners
including WorkSource Coastal Georgia, Goodwill Industries
Hospitality Program, and the Chatham Apprentice Program
(CAP). Often participants find job placement directly through
introductions and connections made through the programs
themselves or job fairs hosted at the sites.
“The beauty of these resource programs is that they’re in the
neighborhood—removing the barriers of transportation or in-
timidation of going to a college campus for training,” explains
Margaret Williams, assistant director of human services. “The
community centers that they pass by everyday are more us-
er-friendly and the programs come to them.”
More than 1,400 citizens came through city-sponsored pro-
grams in 2019 at MJAC as well as at the Pennsylvania Avenue
Resource Center (PARC) on the city’s east side, which began of-
fering workforce-training programs in August 2019. Upon the
completion of one of free several multi-week courses, people can
60 BEACON
March 2020 BEACON
61
COURTESY OF CITY OF SAVANNAH
obtain federally-recognized certifications in fork- 'We have a dently, knowing when rapid changes.
lift safety and the Transportation Worker Identi- to be quiet, showing “I know, I know,
fication Credential (TWIC) card, which is required large pool up on time, dressing they’re all going to be
for logistics work and other positions related to the of people appropriately and not social media influenc-
Port of Savannah. Recruiters are eager to fill these using a cell phone at ers or have a Youtube
jobs, which start at $14-$17/hour. that work don’t necessarily channel,” she laughs.
The Center’s partnership with CAP offers even believe come naturally and ar- “Well then, still you’re
more opportunity, directly placing graduates in en’t enforced by society still going to have to
jobs at FedEx and TICO that also boast beginning they are like they used to be. speak properly and
wages far above minimum wage (entry-level posi- “It’s not that we need those basic skills.”
tions at TICO start at $16/hr.) The four-week, 16- prevented don’t have a workforce, Tech and film may
day sessions take place year-round and focus not from it’s that we don’t have be the brass ring of
only on work-related topics like resumes and in- a prepared workforce. workforce develop-
terviews but also household budgeting and stress entering We often hear in this ment, but the reality is
management. the community that people that the area in most
“We tackle the issues that people have to em- lack those soft skills. In need of qualified staff
ployment holistically,” says program manager workforce. the conversations I’ve is Savannah’s hospi-
Rashemia Johnson. “We have all different ages and heard, it’s more about tality industry. While
different backgrounds, but everyone needs to learn Things are that as opposed to the city offers ServSafe
the same skills.” changing.' the work itself,” says certification programs
Those with criminal backgrounds are encour- Williams. “We work and partnerships with
aged to explore the options at MJAC and PARC. to provide that at our restaurants and hotels,
While a criminal record was once an automatic bar- RASHEMIA sites, especially in our those jobs washing
rier to employment, many companies now accept JOHNSON youth programming.” dishes, making beds
returning citizens on the payroll on a case-by-case Program The idea that Cha- and other entry-lev-
basis. Georgia has been a “ban the box” state since manager tham County needs el gigs begin at $8/hr
2015, prohibiting inquiries about criminal history to build a workforce or less. Can these be
on state government job applications. There also from high school up considered “increased
is opportunity in Chatham County to clear those drives MJAC manag- opportunities” when
histories for qualified individuals: District Attor- er LaQuinton Kates. full-time work in these
ney Meg Heap and Georgia Legal Services host free While he oversees the positions is barely
clinics to help expunge criminal records, and 844 site’s operations and above the poverty level
were cleared last year. multiple programs, and cannot be consid-
“We have a large pool of people that believe they Kates finds himself ered a living wage?
are prevented from entering the workforce,” says doubling down on ef- “We understand
Williams. “Things are changing.” forts to bring in stu- that a lot of those jobs
Recognizing and responding to demand for a dents for the center’s are at the lower end
workforce that meets the needs of the fast-grow- after-school activities. of the pay scale. But
ing tech industry and Savannah’s status as a grow- Free tutoring, SAT/ depending on the in-
ing tech corridor, Human Services is also working ACT prep and help dividual, the potential
with Savannah Tech and the Creative Coast to with college financial in the hospitality in-
bring Girls Who Code and other information tech- aid—along with en- dustry in a communi-
nology training to its resource centers. Interest in couragement of those ty like Savannah,” re-
the city’s burgeoning film industry has also gener- ever-important soft minds Williams, citing
ated programming, including a partnership with skills—are among the the career arc of a close
the Savannah Regional Film Commission for the resources offered at the friend who started at
forthcoming Reel Teens. center. the bottom at a major
“Young people look at the screen and they see “Developing skills hotel chain and is now
an actor, but they don’t think about the lighting, for work starts in in upper management.
the camera work, the grips, the technicians and all school, and we’re here “Entry level po-
the jobs that make up a movie set,” says Human to support that,” says sitions are a gate-
Services Director Kerri Reid. “Now we have here Kates. “My goal is see us way. We’re not saying
productions being filmed on the street, with carts grown beyond the walls they’re long-term, fam-
and equipment being rolled around, and people here because so many ily-supporting jobs, but
learning that those are jobs. How do we get them kids are taking advan- they are a gateway to
moving in that direction?” tage of what’s here.” an industry that does
In addition to technical training and certifi- At the mention of provide those kinds of
cates, MJAC, PARC and CAP provide soft skills the younger gener- jobs.
training—qualities that allow someone to interact ations’ expectations “We look at this
with others on the job. Things like speaking confi- of work, Williams ac- way: We’re giving them
knowledges society’s skills to get there.”
62 BEACON
64
BEACON
SIOBHAN EGAN
WORKFORCE TRAINING
Train
ing—things that are in the realm of organization-
al development to not only help the individuals
perform properly but also to help the companies
create the kind of culture that is needed to be suc-
cessful,” explains Jan Melcher, executive director
of Quick Start’s Georgia Advanced Manufacturing
to Gain
Training Center—a 50,000 square-foot facility in
Pooler that includes labs, classrooms and meeting
rooms that’s likely to be a game-changer in the in-
centive arena for new and expanding corporations.
The center is a win-win-win situation for the econ-
omy, the worker and the corporation: It increases
the tax base by attracting advanced manufacturing
industry to the area, provides workers with higher
Specialized training for

skill development, which in turn benefits the com-
pany. And it does it all in-house.
In the past, this training happened at the com-
advanced manufacturing panies’ facilities. For instance, in 2018, Briggs &
Stratton, a well-known brand for outdoor power
attracts corporations to the equipment, brought its production of V-Twin Van-
guard engines from Japan to its facility in States-
Coastal Empire boro. Quick Start set up shop in the facility to train
approximately 100 new employees, the fourth time
the program has partnered with Briggs & Stratton.
The new functional training center brings the
BY ANDREA GOTO ing manufacturers. We have an companies, the advanced technology and the ex-
exceptional infrastructure that perts together at the center. “The center is incorpo-
Georgia is a leader in advanced includes railroads, the I-16 and rated with specific spaces with technical equipment
manufacturing. By the numbers, 1-95 corridors, an international that can be used in a lot of different industry sec-
the state has been ranked num- airport and the second largest tors,” Melcher says. “However, we also have space
ber one in the nation by Site Se- port on the east and Gulf coasts. that’s flexible so we can move things around to make
lection magazine for four years Our university, college and tech- it specific to the company’s needs like site-specific
in a row (think of it as a national nical college systems have us assemblies they need to be practicing on.”
headhunter to locate best sites turning out tens of thousands Additionally, the training center can accommo-
for new or developing indus- of educated and skilled workers date multiple companies at one time.
try). Advanced manufacturing each year. Quick Start is considered a “discretionary incen-
employs 412,000 Georgians and The Quick Start program, tive” which means it’s offered to new or expand-
provides a $61.1 billion output. which falls under the govern- ing businesses that qualify. The state takes into
Locally, the numbers are just as ing umbrella of the Technical consideration things like the number of jobs that
impressive. Savannah is home to College System of Georgia, has will be created, types of jobs being created, capital
287 advanced manufacturers em- actually been influencing the investment, etc. “They have to be making a signif-
ploying more than 18,000 people. state’s workforce by providing icant investment for it to be a cost benefit to the
The presence of Chatham Coun- post-employment training in state of Georgia,” Melcher notes.
ty-based corporations like Mit- advanced manufacturing for “The success of the program is exemplified by
subishi Hitachi Power Systems more than 50 years. It’s the be- companies we’ve worked with in the past who call
America, JCB and Gulfstream come the number one answer in us back time after time,” Melcher says. "Gulfstream
Aerospace, the latter of which how to efficiently train employ- is one we’ve worked with as they’ve expanded."
alone employed 10,250 people in ees and close the knowledge gap Though confidentiality agreements are signed
2018, but there’s a little-known as technology evolves. to protect companies’ trade secrets, they’re quick
secret weapon as to how the area Quick Start first meets with to praise Quick Start’s value. Carter’s Babies and
continues to recruit and expand qualifying organizations to Kids' Clothing has described Quick Start “as rede-
these businesses: Quick Start, an complete a needs analysis of fining the term ‘partnership.’ It’s part of a perfect
award-winning, highly special- what job-specific training is resolution to creating jobs” and Trident Seafoods
ized workforce training program quired for their employees—ev- credits it for why they came to Georgia. Since its
for advanced manufacturing. erything from control systems inception, Quick Start has trained more than 1.3
In addition to an excellent and automation to robotics and million Georgians through more than 7,100 proj-
quality of living on the coast, virtual reality. “In addition, we ects. The Advanced Manufacturing Training Cen-
Savannah has a number of at- provide training in leadership, ter aims to only improve on the solid foundation
tractors for new and develop- communication skills, coach- that has been a half-century in the making.

WORKFORCE TRAINING
Where Ability
Opportunity
66 BEACON
BY PATRICK LONGSTRETH
When customers visit Leopold’s Ice Cream Shop

between Tuesday and Friday, the first person they’ll
meet is a gracious young man with thick glasses
and a beaming smile.
“Welcome to Leopold's. We’re happy you’re
here,” says Julius Mitchell, or “J Money” as he is
known to co-workers and regulars.
It’s his job to greet customers, hand out menus,
fill waters, and generally make people feel welcome.
“He has the most important position,” explains
Stratton Leopold, owner of the venerable con-
fectioner on Broughton Street. “We have people
standing in line for a long time, especially in the
summer, and Mitchell is the ambassador. He’s the
shining light of our shop.”
For a 36-year old person with an intellectual dis-
ability, Mitchell has been employed by a wide range
of local businesses, including Wendy’s, Goodwill,
and the Chatham County Courthouse.
“I always saw myself working in customer ser-
vice,” says Mitchell.
And so, just like most young workers, he kept
searching for the right fit until he found it. “This is
the best job I’ve ever had. I just love being here. I love
the customers. I don’t ever want to leave Leopold’s.”
Leopold cherishes Mitchell’s enthusiasm and
dependability. “It’s hard to find that type of per-
son,” he says.
Leopold was always open to the idea of hiring
someone with a disability, but he never had the op-
portunity until he was approached by EmployAbil-
ity, a local nonprofit that prepares individuals with
intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)
for employment and community integration.
Checking In
Every weekday morning by 9 a.m., more than
160 participants arrive at the EmployAbility cam-
pus on Eisenhower Drive. Transportation is often
JOHN CARRINGTON
a challenge for the developmentally disabled, and

most participants rely on one of the 16 shuttle bus-
es or passenger vans owned and operated by Em-
ployAbility. Some participate in the Adult Day Ser-
Meets
vices, which provides social interaction, increased
independence, and community involvement in a
way that meets the needs of each individual. Oth-
ers participate in pre-vocational training, which
offers a wide variety of courses designed to prepare
job seekers for supported employment in the com-
munity. With more than 80 employees, drivers and
volunteers, EmployAbility is the largest organiza-
tion of its kind in Georgia.
Developmentally disabled adults become el-
The incalculable value of igible to participate in supportive services after
they’ve aged out of the school system at age 22. At
employees with disabilities that point, they may choose to apply for pre-voca-
tional training. If accepted, the first person they

meet with is a developmental
disability professional, who
takes account of their individ-
'I work hard where they learn time manage-
ment, appropriate workplace at-
tire, and basic budgeting. Once
ual limitations, as well as their
strengths and interests. every day to they’re ready to take the next
step off campus, it’s the role of
“We often find tendencies the job coach to help them find
that are frustrating at home are
actually an asset here,” explains
make sure the right fit both occupational-
ly and culturally. Ideally it’s one
everything is
Laura Lane McKinnon, director where they can build “natural
of organizational advancement. supports,” such as a co-worker
“It’s all about what they can do, who gives them a ride to work,
not what they can’t.”
With that philosophy in mind,
participants are guided through
spotless. I love or work-related events that en-
courage socializing with new
people.
one of five programs: culinary,
fulfillment, print shop and cus- what I do here.' Job coaches go on interviews
and stay with employees until
tomer service, housekeeping, and they are considered “job stable.”
JAVON KELLY
specialized assembly. Leopold's Ice Cream employee
They then continue to check on
the employee twice a month for
Getting Down to Business the lifetime of the job, which
In the specialized assembly can span decades.
workshop, wiring harnesses, On a hot summer day, you
vacuum seals, and thermal cou- might find Mitchell dancing
plers lay strewn out on tables opment. out front of Leopold’s in an ice
waiting to be tested for quality Since EmployAbility started in 1951 as a one- cream cone costume for four
control. Participants use wire room, private school in Forsyth Park, there have hours at a stretch, but there’s
strippers and soldering irons to been many revelations in understanding how de- another differently-abled work-
accomplish a range of engineer- velopmentally disabled people can be integrated er in the back, washing dishes,
ing tasks. But this isn’t just an into society. A common out-of-date impression busing tables and taking out the
exercise. for many is still the “sheltered workshop,” where trash.
This is on-the-job training, people with disabilities work separately from the “I work hard every day to
which means these specialized general population at sub-minimum wages. make sure everything is spot-
electronic and mechanical parts “Old-school Savannah people know us as the less,” says Javon Kelly, “I love
will soon be on their way to local napkin place,” says Ferrara. And, EmployAbility what I do here.”
manufacturers. participants still make beautiful custom napkins Kelly, who was also hired
“It’s difficult to find neurotyp- with intricately hand-laid typefaces in all variet- through EmployAbility, is proud
ical people who are willing to do ies of colors. But as the print shop expands from to be part of the Leopold’s team,
this work, but our participants t-shirts, postcards and buttons to include retail and he doesn’t mind commuting
thrive on hyper focus, repetition training, telephone etiquette, and computer skills, an hour and half each day, five
and familiarity,” explains Bren- Ferrara and the EmployAbility staff have recog- days a week, from Rincon on a
dan Ferrara, who was recent- nized the need to shift focus. shuttle bus.
ly promoted from director of “Our first priority is training, then our second Leopold plans to continue
training and supportive employ- priority is running a business,” stresses Ferrara. to hire staff through Employ-
ment to CEO/President. They still plan to fulfill big consistent orders like Ability, and he thinks that other
Before joining EmployAbility, packaging Byrd’s cookies or making weekly sand- local businesses should do the
Ferrara spent 20 years at Savan- wiches for Nine Line Apparel, but they’ll be reluc- same. “It’s no extra cost, in fact
nah Technical College, working tant to cater a one-time banquette where the in- it’s quite the opposite,” Leopold
his way up from adjunct profes- structors and employees do most of the work, and assures.
sor to the dean of multiple pro- new culinary trainees wait on the sidelines. It also According to a 2018 study
grams. means making napkins with their own creative by the Job Accommodation
“I never expected to be able designs and selling them in local stores, instead of Network (JAN), 58 percent of
to translate what I did in aca- fulfilling a small order for a birthday party. employers reported the cost of
demia to this world,” he reveals. This strategy of prioritizing the training of employing a person with disabil-
“I wouldn’t have seen the con- people over the delivery of goods and services is ities as nothing, while 37 percent
nection if Dr. Boyd (the previous intended to improve quality of life for the partic- reported a one-time cost of less
executive director) hadn’t given ipants, some of whom are making $16 an hour in than $500.
me the confidence.” supportive employment. “EmployAbility is a wonder-
Ferrara seems excited to build ful asset to the community,”
on his predecessor’s success, Finding the Right Fit says Leopold, “and the staff that
combining the best aspects of In addition to industry-specific training, par- come from there would be an
social work and academic devel- ticipants are required to take life skills classes, asset to any business.”
68 BEACON
MORE THAN
26,000
EXCEPTIONAL
STUDENTS
MORE THAN
$1 BILLION
ANNUAL
ECONOMIC IMPACT
MORE THAN
16,000
SAVANNAH
YOUR
ALUMNI
UNIVERSI TY
MORE THAN
140
ACADEMIC
PROGRAMS IN SAVANNAH AND
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA
MORE Georgia Southern University is
REGION-SPECIFIC committed to Savannah and southeast
PROGRAMS Georgia, offering workforce-focused
FOR WORKFORCE programs to make our region a better
GROWTH place to live, work and play.
Statesboro • Savannah • Hinesville • Online

GeorgiaSouthern.edu
70 BEACON
2,798
Chatham County
incarcerates the
second highest
number of youth
in the entire state,
second only to Fulton
County. (Just for
perspective, Fulton
County’s population
is nearly four times
that of Chatham’s.)
Research also
indicates that the
Juvenile Court of
Chatham County
has almost twice
as many court-
involved youth, nearly
3,000, as any other
county in Georgia.
Those youth are
overwhelmingly
African American.
COURTESY OF DEEP CENTER

Breaking Savann
School-to-Prison
72 BEACON
BY KRISTOPHER MONROE
A full 80 percent of the youth aged 18 and under

who were arrested in Savannah between 2014 and 2016
were African American. More than 70 percent of those
youth were boys. In 2018, 65 percent of the youth who
were referred to juvenile court for delinquency were
African American males from high poverty neighbor-
hoods and schools. In addition, the second highest
number of referrals to the juvenile court system after
the Savannah Police Department is the Savannah-Cha-
tham County Public
School System [SC-
CPSS].
That’s the bad
news. The good According to
news is that these the nonprofit,
staggering trends
are beginning to non-partisan
change due to
strong local leader- Prison Policy
ship on a multiplic- Institute,
ity of fronts.
“There are pol- “formerly
icies and practices incarcerated
that are in place at
state and federal people are
levels that we know
disproportionately unemployed at
affect some peo- a rate of more
ple over others,”
explains Megan than 27 percent
Ave’Lallemant, di- — higher than
rector of restorative
practices and cul- the total U.S.
ture at Deep Cen-
ter. “And some of unemployment
that is honestly just rate during
because of long im-
plicit bias that hasn’t any historical
been interrogated period,
by the folks who are
making the rules, including
as well as narratives
about crime and the Great
punishment.” Depression.”
As Ave’Lalle-
mant details in a
nah’s
recent essay, “Heal-
ing Schools: Open
Heart and a New Toolkit,” it’s important for educators,
community leaders, and law enforcement to meet kids
where they are and not define them by their worst
actions. Extreme poverty and broken homes produce
n Pipeline
trauma, which is why a multi-pronged, community
approach is needed to address these entrenched, sys-
tematic failures.
“We’re not taking care of our kids,” says Chatham
County Juvenile Court Judge Lisa Colbert. “And
we’re not taking care of the people who we expect
to take care of our kids. We’re not arming them with

the tools ... There’s a lot of un-
addressed trauma. I preside over
mental health court. I have kids
with full blown PTSD [post-trau-
Early College as Crime Prevention
matic stress disorder].” On the Beacon Friday podcast (savannahnow.com/opinion/the-commute), guest
“I have been critical of the Stephanie Kistler, a turnaround specialist and independent consultant for the Texas
Education Agency, discussed one of the state’s most remarkable transformations:
school system,” continues Judge “There was an area where I consulted before I left that was part of the cradle-to-prison
Colbert. “But I also realize they pipeline – the entire south Dallas area … It was solidly red when you drew the cradle-to-prison
have been given a three-legged pipeline [map]. Now, that line has pushed farther and farther south, past I-30. Most of the
stool. They’ve been given more schools [are] in an area called Oak Cliff … the Sunset High feeder pattern and the Adamson
law enforcement officers than High School feeder pattern.
“Both those schools are Early College High Schools now with a 96 percent four-year
social workers when I think the graduation rate. If you look at them in 2008, those graduation rates were in the 40s, 50s and
social workers should outnumber 60s, and they did not have the Early College Program. It was kids just getting a basic diploma.
the law enforcement officers.” “Now you’ve got these opportunities where these kids can get two years of college credit [the
As Superintendent of SC- equivalent of an associate degree] while they’re in high school without leaving their home. It’s
CPSS, Dr. M. Ann Levett points changing the outcomes. Those zip codes are no longer part of the cradle-to-prison pipeline.”
out, the school system has been In that 12 year period, the Dallas Independent School District has expanded to more than
25 Early College High Schools. The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System offers
making strides in reducing ju- one Early College Program at Savannah High School, serving nearly 200 students. It may be
venile delinquency referrals. Be- worth our time, intention, and investment to establish Early College Programs in the feeder
tween 2013 and May 2019, there patterns where we see the highest rates of juvenile court involvement.
was a dramatic 85 percent reduc-
tion in delinquency referrals, ac-
cording to a report by the Board
Porch has worked with in the past year, only four
of Education Police Department. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND families ended up going through the court system.
The report indicates the drop in ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, GO TO:
delinquent referrals since 2017 Jones says that’s four families too many, but it’s
can be attributed to various stu- The Annie E. Casey Foundation clear Front Porch is filling a need.
aecf.org/work “I’m very impressed with our results,” says Jones.
dent intervention programs and
reforms in community justice In addition to the Front Porch, the courts have
Deep Center’s Policy Brief
agencies and youth support re- deepcenter.org
implemented a Work Readiness Enrichment Pro-
ferral programs. gram, which involves collaborative partner orga-
“More intervention pro- Goodwill of Southeast Georgia’s nizations such as the Urban Mentoring Academy
grams are now in place to help WREP of Savannah, Gateway Behavioral Health Services,
goodwillsega.org/employment- Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club, Goodwill,
students and families in stress,” solutions/programs/
explains Levett. “Chief among YMCA, and others. The Savannah Mediation Cen-
those programs is The Front Georgia APEX Program ter also works with the courts to provide a restor-
Porch, an agency funded by the dbhdd.georgia.gov/georgia-apex- ative justice forum as an alternative to the courts.
school district, county, and city program “We’ve got a lot of resources in the community,
to serve youth having difficulty but the silos are huge,” says Judge Colbert. “One of
and in need of services.” things can happen. You reduce the things we don’t do a good job of—government
As far as school district ser- the cost to the community, be- agencies, for profit and nonprofits that help people—
vices, Levett continues, “We cause there’s no duplication of is to help folks identify their village and help bring
have employed more social services.” that village to the table... Programs don’t help people.
workers, counselors, behavior The Front Porch opened People help people. Relationships help people.”
interventionists, and other stu- its doors at 38th and Abercorn One common theme among all the individu-
dent well-being professionals streets in October 2018 with als and organizations working with young people
who offer services and assistance the help and support of an ar- is the desire to see more empathy from the com-
to students who need same.” ray of community leaders and munity toward youth, to not criminalize normal
Levett also mentions the dis- institutions, including the An- childhood behavior, and to understand that kids
trict’s APEX program to assist nie E. Casey Foundation and are people too. To understand, as Judge Colbert
students with mental health and SCCPSS. The Front Porch is a points out, “Hurt people hurt people.”
behavioral health services, peer multi-agency resource center “The two biggest things I fight here are hope-
mediation and conflict resolution led by Chatham County Juvenile lessness and disconnectedness,” says Judge Colbert
strategies, community conferenc- Court with the aim of reducing about the cases she sees. “Kids who don’t have a
ing services, and partnerships with unneeded court contact with dream for their future.”
various community organizations. “low-risk” youth. It’s a diversion Sheryl Jones reiterates this.
“The whole community has program that works with other “The more we are involved with these children’s
to have a vested interest in the community partners, like Deep, lives, the less likely they are out here committing
future of our kids,” says Front and has had undeniable success crimes and causing problems in our community,”
Porch Interim Manager, Sheryl in its first year in operation. says Jones. “So overall our community is healthy,
Jones. “When you bring differ- According to Jones, of the it’s safe, and it’s thriving. And our families are
ent agencies together, a lot of nearly 300 families the Front thriving as well.”
74 BEACON
An Eager, Overlooked Workforce
BY JUDY BEAN curity Agency (TSA). And once they obtain the TWIC, ap-
plicants can still be disqualified for certain jobs based on the
At 3:30 p.m. on a Friday, passengers pack a Chatham nature of their records. (For example, a former embezzler
County Courthouse elevator shoulder-to-shoulder. could be refused an accounting job.) Other large employers
And they all want to go up. known for hiring ex-offenders include Bridgestone/Fires-
Today is Expungement Clinic day — a first in the court- tone, Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Target and Walmart.
house. The crowd members are mostly here in hopes of get- And many small employers are happy to give people with
ting jobs. records a chance. Michael Meeks of GooseFeathers Cafe in
These are people who — justly and unjustly — have po- downtown Savannah is outspoken in his commitment. “I’ve
lice records. And they represent 40 percent of our state’s hired a hundred or so people with records over the years,”
adult population. These people are highly motivated to he says. “Everyone makes mistakes. I’m glad to give people
work. Once hired, they are statistically unlikely to re-offend. second chances.”
Many have in-demand skills. There are government incen- One of those people is GooseFeathers’ long-time general
tives, such as tax credits, to hire them. manager, John (who asked that we not use his surname). “I
Yet, even during our historically tight labor market, most started off as a dishwasher in 2011,” John says. Repeatedly
local businesses are waving them away. Their red flag: the promoted, he now encourages other employees. “I tell them,
dreaded “box” on applications that asks about criminal re- I wasn’t always in this position or making what I make now.
cords. If you like the work, if you do what you’re supposed to and a
In Georgia, criminal records are exceptionally hard to little more, you’ll succeed.”
clear. Although most states allow expungements for mis- Other GooseFeathers’ stories support his outlook. Many
demeanor and non-violent felony convictions after five to employees work for the cafe long-term, and some have gone
seven years, Georgia criminal records last forever — unless on to management jobs in larger food service operations.
the individuals were found not guilty, have First Offender Other local private employers also offer second chances,
status, or were convicted of certain misdemeanors while although many chose not to say so publicly. Some advertise
under 21. Otherwise, there are almost no options for ex- online through services such as JobsforFelons.com.
punging records in Georgia, according to Nancy DeVetter, Local religious leaders, including Reverend Thurmond
supervising attorney in the Savannah office of Georgia Tillman and Pastor Tony Wardlaw of First African Baptist
Legal Services. DeVetter, along with the Chatham County Church, are also active in helping people with records find
District Attorney’s office, organized the day-long February jobs. Meeks often seeks their recommendations.
clinic. Though they may seem unlikely allies, she and Dis- Union Mission of Savannah offers employment programs
trict Attorney Meg Heap share one goal: helping good peo- for people with records, providing an address and phone
ple back onto safe, productive paths in life. “In our office, we number, along with assistance in obtaining identification
look for creative ways to stop the cycle of crime,” says Heap. documents, short-term employment without documents,
But even when defenders and prosecutors unite, “clear- and culinary training. “People straight from prison are mo-
ing records can be like playing ‘whack-a-mole,’” DeVetter tivated to get jobs quickly. They’re very motivated, and many
says. Although Georgia law requires that dismissed charges have skills. Right now, 93 percent of our population is em-
and acquittals be deleted from government records, lower ployed,” says Reentry Housing Program Manager Joi Baker.
courts don’t always follow through. “We had a client who Inner City Night Shelter also offers its residents a Prison
had a rape accusation on his court record for 20 years, even Re-entry program.
though his warrant had been dismissed,” says DeVetter. For those still in prison but near release, the Georgia
Further, clearing court records doesn’t guarantee a fresh Department of Corrections offers some job skills training,
start, because many employers use non-governmental “back- GED preparation and testing, in-prison charter schools and
ground check” services, which may continue to publish ex- help in obtaining documents necessary for employment.
punged charges. For example, DeVetter had a client’s “cruelty Other, community-based, services abound. But they’re
to children” charge, which had been dismissed years before, not all affiliated, nor all easy to find.
cleared from local court records. But it still haunts the client Will more employers begin turning to this huge, moti-
online. That’s not unusual: many innocent, capable people vated workforce? DeVetter believes the answer depends on
are effectively excluded from jobs by private listings. “educating employers, getting past the knee-jerk reaction to
Although it’s slow, there has been some local progress in criminal records. I’d love to see a ‘ban-the-box’ law for all job
helping formerly incarcerated people find jobs. In 2015, the applications someday. And we desperately need to update
City of Savannah stopped asking, “Do you have a criminal Georgia expungement law.
record?” on employment applications. But that “ban the “Of course, not everyone’s right for every job. Nobody
box” initiative has yet to affect Chatham County applica- wants a drug addict in a pharmacy job.” But she believes that
tions, or those of many major employers. “there’s a place for everyone.”
One large, local employer willing to hire people who’ve District Attorney Heap’s thoughts aren’t far off. “My pur-
been incarcerated is Georgia Ports Authority. All of its jobs pose is to protect victims. But if someone young did one
require the Transportation Worker Identification Creden- stupid, non-violent thing, we don’t want to stop them from
tial (TWIC), based on screening by the Transportation Se- living good lives.”

ESSAY
Rewrite the
statistical fairytale.
To best serve youth, we hold
our city’s adults accountable, as
well, and insist on the need to
pair direct service with sys-
tems-change efforts — often with
Narrative
our youth leaders at the center.
For instance, we work with
adults in child-serving insti-
tutions (e.g., teachers, police,
probation officers, judges, etc.)
to help them meet youth in their
Savannah tells young people to “stay full humanity. Through our
in their lane.” Ask any youth of color, and new Healing Schools initiative,
they’ll tell you that the “lanes” they’re we’re partnering with the school
told to stay in are especially restrictive, district to build a new model for
downright suffocating. In fact, when school climate and culture, one
Savannah talks about youth of color — the calls youth into community
especially black boys — it usually tells a rather than pushing them into
single story with just two topics: crime the school-to-prison pipeline.
and punishment. And last fall, we published
See a July 22, 2017 op-ed in the Savan- our first policy brief, entitled
nah Morning News entitled “Violent Crime “Youth-powered Policy Recom-
JOHN CARRINGTON
and the ‘Lost Boys of Savannah.’” The story mendations.” Intended as a first
describes broken homes, broken streets, step in a community blueprint for
broken families, and bad character, and it a more just and equitable Savan-
lays blame for these conditions squarely at nah, the document is the result,
the feet at the folks who live in low-income in part, of a youth-led, commu-
neighborhoods. It features an unseemly Dare Dukes, executive director, and nity-wide research conducted in
image, pulled from a PowerPoint presenta- Coco Papy, director of communications partnership with scholars from
tion used by District Attorney Meg Heap, and development, Deep Center University of Georgia.
showing three young, shirtless black boys
smiling for the camera as they lounge The New Story
under yellow crime scene tape, hovering their communities, and their actions to How do we know when a
above their heads like a devil’s halo. The transformational change. Deep wants youth is coming into her power?
message is clear: they are doomed, nearly youth to be strong in school and power- To mention just one of our many
from birth, to be antagonists in this story. ful leaders in our community. traditional measures: English
The framing of this single story — For our youth, “power” means know- Language Arts grades go up nearly
which ignores history and the structural ing your authentic story, being able to a full letter for a majority of Young
issues at the root causes of our communi- express that story and related perspec- Author Project participants.
ty’s challenges — is in our nation’s DNA. tives, understanding equity and justice, But, in a city where youth
It’s as old as our founders counting black and having the confidence to advocate are admonished to never leave
citizens’ humanity in fractions. It persists, for yourself and your community. their lane, Deep is attuned to
for instance, as above-the-fold mugshots in “Critical literacy” is a key component another indicator: the dis-
our daily newspaper. Black boys and girls to what we mean by “power.” It is the comfort of adults who, when
are bombarded with it. They internalize it, ability to see behind the stories that suddenly confronted by young
and it erodes their self-confidence. They society tells about itself and to under- leaders who understand history,
live in neighborhoods harmed by policies stand who’s telling the story, why they’re structural injustice, and how to
justified by it — policies like funding law telling it, and how that version does and speak truth to power, become
enforcement rather than school counsel- doesn’t reflect the truth. nervous about sharing pow-
ors and afterschool programs. In a county er. Any serious conversation
where we have nearly twice the number Systems Change about workforce development,
of court-involved youth than any other Time and again, we’ve seen that we education, and youth engage-
Georgia county, our single story is throw- can lift up our youth only so high before ment must include the young
ing away an entire generation. they bump into ceilings they didn’t put people most adversely affected
there. Our nation’s cherished bootstraps by our city’s single story, and a
Rewriting the Story narrative works only for children in some willingness by adults to listen
Deep Center uses arts, creative writ- zip codes. In Savannah, where 42 percent and address systemic barriers
ing, and culture to help youth connect of children grow up poor, in our poorest to the thriving of working class
their learning to their lives, their lives to Census tracts, the bootstraps story is a communities of color.
76 BEACON
"Helping Our Clients Lead the Way"
PUBLIC RELATIONS
DIGITAL CONTENT
CORPORATE STRATEGY
912.247.9588
www.abshirepr.com
ESSAY
Creativity in
Every Profession
If you name the most successful 2018), who teamed up with other
companies — Apple, Google, Sony, students on a SCADpro project for
BMW, Chick-fil-A — you’ll name an Gulfstream. They now have their own
employer of SCAD alumni. Creative healthcare initiative through their
media companies like Disney, Marvel, company Frendesign, right here in
and Pixar hire SCAD graduates, and Savannah. Frendesign uses immersive
you’re just as likely to find our Bees communications technology to make
working at places like 3M, Porsche, treatment more patient-friendly.
Microsoft, Delta, and Uber.
The truth of the matter is that Students who are analytical-
SCAD is where talented students with ly minded often end up studying
great big brains and even bigger hearts mathematics and the sciences, broad
learn how to change the world. They disciplines that require methodical
achieve that noble purpose studying approaches, logical thinking, and a
relevant professions in demand by facility with numbers. Many staunch-
SCAD
some of the world’s biggest and most ly analytical minds have been put
influential companies. to excellent use in the SCAD degree
Let’s say you’re into inventing and Paula Wallace, SCAD president programs of architecture and interior
building. Creating complex code. and founder design (and many others besides).
Earning money with your Etsy shop. SCAD architects and interior
A glance at the most popular college designers create schools, hospitals,
majors suggests many students want how to create engaging (or funny, or airports, office parks, and every other
a career in health care, engineering, cool, or curious) content? Then social building you can imagine. To prepare,
or business. Well, you can work in all strategy and management is the plat- SCAD School of Building Arts stu-
three industries and so many more form you need IRL. Creative business dents take courses in applied mathe-
with a SCAD degree. leadership and design management matics, applied physics, building ma-
Of the more than 70 SCAD minors degrees equip professionals across terials, construction, fabrication, and
(from scientific illustration to pack- industries — from publishing to man- mechanical systems. SCAD frequently
age design), one of the most popular ufacturing — to apply imaginative tops the DesignIntelligence rank-
is business management and entre- thinking to the bottom line. ing of building arts programs at the
preneurship. That’s because SCAD’s Health care is one of the largest undergraduate and graduate levels —
world-changing students are entre- source of jobs in the U.S., and you because our graduates work at every
preneurial: They launch startups, don’t have to be a physician to work power player across global building
create their own jewelry lines, and in this mammoth economic sector. design, from Gensler and HOK to
build own their own businesses, such Every day around the world, designers tvsdesign and Perkins + Will.
as fashion designer Christopher John work alongside doctors to improve Some people have a penchant
Rogers (B.F.A., fashion, 2016), whose health care. for inventing stories, some for new
splendid, bold designs were recent- Consider SCAD grads Stephen video games. Some paint canvas,
ly featured and took home the top Nottingham (B.F.A., service design, others start companies — and all of
$400,000 prize at the CFDA/Vogue 2018) and Inwon Jong (M.F.A., inter- this work requires a healthy dose of
Fashion Fund. active design and game development, creative thinking. Creativity is for
If you want to lead the online everyone and is vital for success in
shopping revolution, then take on every profession. The world needs
fashion marketing and management imaginative humans to work at their
or business of beauty and fragrance companies, and SCAD Bees, with a 99
(the only degree of its kind in the percent alumni employment rate, do
world). Do you intuitively understand just that.
78 BEACON
ESSAY
Understanding
Fiscal Impacts
At the Savannah Economic Devel- of projects, the assumption is that
opment Authority (SEDA), our mission especially for the large job creators,
is to attract jobs and investment to the there will be some level of in-migra-
Coastal Georgia region. While there tion (people moving to our market
are several strategies to achieve this for a job) that will put pressure on the
goal, the end result is either a company services provided by the local govern-
moves into the Savannah market or an ments. Some research has been done
existing Savannah company expands on the cost of residents vs. a company.
its operations, both of which increase University of Georgia’s Dr. Jeffrey
jobs and investment. The jobs provide Dorfman looked at several counties
opportunities for our unemployed and and examined the expenses and reve-
underemployed to earn a living, and nues associated with serving residents
JOHN CARRINGTON
the investment improves properties and commercial developments.

and increases the property value, re- The common result is that for every
sulting in more tax revenues for the lo- dollar of revenue a resident provided
cal governments to provide education, to the local government, the expense
public safety and other services, roads measured between $1.15 to $1.50. In
and other physical infrastructure. Leia Dedic, director of research and contrast, the commercial ratio showed
To oversimplify, SEDA can be grant management, SEDA that for every dollar in revenue, the
viewed as a sales and marketing orga- expense fell was .30 to .80. It makes
nization and Savannah is the product. the incentives we offer to attract a sense that residents cost more. So, the
We have particular industries that we company to our market. It allows us conclusion is that commercial devel-
target, which can be found in SEDA’s to estimate the true costs to the local opment provides net revenues and
Propel Savannah 5-7-year strategic governments. LOCI™ takes all of the residents provide net expenses. This is
plan. Those industries are high wage, project information we have available, why you often hear local governments
quality jobs that match our com- including wages, number of jobs, real talk about wanting to be more than a
munity’s assets (i.e. talent pipeline, and personal property investment “bedroom community.”
infrastructure, existing industry numbers, and the incentives offered, Large job announcements usually
clusters, etc.). We often work with our among other factors. The online soft- get a lot of press, but because of the
community partners to help improve ware then runs it against community costs of in-migration, we also cele-
those assets in order to have a better profiles that incorporate both local brate small company job announce-
product to sell. government expenses and revenues ments with high investment. There
When working to attract or grow resulting from a company expansion is a benefit to both types of projects
companies, we have different tools in or new location. This incorporates depending on the current state of the
our toolbox that range from helping government revenues such as sales economy and the current community
make connections and utility partners and property taxes, franchise and and economic needs.
to providing workforce data for in- permit fees, as well as government While fiscal impact analysis tools
formed decision-making and providing expenses for services related to educa- are definitely a blend of art and sci-
incentives to competitive projects. Not tion, the health system, public safety, ence, dealing with both hard facts and
every company requires or receives libraries, public works, etc. In the end, assumptions, as economic developers
local tax incentives, but when they do, LOCI™ provides the net present value the most important thing is that we
our incentive decisions are guided by a of the project, which may be negative understand the fiscal impact of proj-
fiscal-impact-analysis tool. or positive. This distinction is import- ects so that we can strategically plan
LOCI™, a product through Eco- ant as the more traditional economic for infrastructure needs and under-
nomic Impact Group, LLC., a Geor- impact analyses—which often looks at stand which projects provide positive
gia-based company and recognized jobs, wages, and business profits—are, fiscal impacts for our communities to
as the gold standard for fiscal impact by definition, positive. help them grow sustainably and with
analysis, is the tool we use to analyze When considering the fiscal impact intention.
80 BEACON
WE PROUDLY CALL OURSELVES THE LIGHT
OF THE COASTAL EMPIRE AND LOWCOUNTRY.
FOR OVER 165 YEARS

we’ve been your most trusted news source, working to deliver
real news—the whole story—the information our community needs and wants
straight to your doorsteps and your fingertips.
We strive every day to create deep community connections that enable us to

tell the inspiring stories and tackle the pressing issues that affect our lives as well as yours.
WE ARE YOUR
AWARD-WINNING, HARD-WORKING
HOMETOWN NEWS SOURCE.
THANK YOU
FOR PUTTING YOUR
TRUST IN US.
ACTION PLAN 2033
Actions We
No. 1 No. 2
Fund Dual Enrollment Expand School-
and Early College Programs Business
In an effort to reduce expenses in lieu of budget
Partnerships
shortfalls predicted this year and next, Gov. Brian
Kudos to JCB, Gulfstream, the
Kemp has recommended a number of budget cuts
Georgia Ports Authority, Park-
to education, including HB 144, which caps the
er’s convenience stores, and oth-
free credit hours high school students can earn
er businesses that have worked
through dual enrollment programs to no more
with area high schools, colleges
than 30 hours.
and universities to develop in-
The career and college readiness of our students
ternships, apprenticeships, and
offers a long-term return on investment. Not only
pathway programs and curricu-
are students who partake of dual enrollment or at-
lums so that students are gaining
tend Early College Programs more likely to graduate
real-world knowledge that often
and advance to college, they often leave high school
leads to well-paying jobs and pro-
with the equivalent of an associate degree. Espe-
fessions. We need more business-
cially for students who may not have the financial
es like these to welcome a Summer
means to pay for higher education, these programs
500 intern, set up a mentorship
give them the double-whammy of added earning
program between employees and
power, plus soft and hard skills development. If they
educators, and fund scholarships
are able to attend a college or university, they will
for students in need.
have incurred less debt upon graduation.
Most of the pathway programs
We will tarnish our reputation as a great place
in high schools are relatively new,
to do business if our public schools are so under-
so we need to give them time
funded that they cannot prepare a skilled future
and patience to grow and show
workforce.
results, and we need to invest in
Another great investment: a force of school
them over the long-term. The
counselors (rather than a force of school-based
continuity of successful school
police officers) if we ever want to truly disrupt the
programs often suffers because
school-to-prison pipeline.
of the whims of politicians, get
sidelined for irrelevant metrics,
and are hampered by leadership
churn, where dynamic teachers
get plucked to possibly make a dif-
ference elsewhere. We need nim-
bleness and adaptability, but we
also need to play the long game.
82 BEACON
Can Take Now
No. 3 No. 4 No. 5
Revisit Wage and
Reduce Create a
Salaries To Meet
Duplication Comprehensive
Cost of Living
of Workforce Outreach and
Development Awareness Effort The average wages and sal-
aries in Savannah and the sur-
Services If the 2014 SEDA study still rounding area remain low when
holds true — even just a little bit compared to other metropolitan
More than 60 different orga- areas, yet our housing costs con-
— then we must do a better job of
nizations offering more than 200 tinue to rise. Our exceptional en-
connecting the people who need
different programs serving a civil- vironment, beautiful surround-
workforce development training
ian workforce numbering 140,100 ings and languid lifestyle aren’t
with the organizations and pro-
people, of which more than 62 valuable enough if you’re work-
grams available. Where does one
percent are part- or full-time ing overtime trying to make ends
go to find a comprehensive com-
employed. It may just be us, but meet. Many business leaders
pendium of programs, from GED
that number seems like an over- speak of brain drain, where their
preparation to substance abuse
whelming landscape of services. most creative and promising
counseling to coding?
How effective are all of these students, entry-level employees,
If transportation and accessi-
programs in serving their cli- and potential leaders head else-
bility are issues, we need to ask
ents? What are their success where rather than continuing
ourselves how we bring programs
rates? How do they measure to contribute their talents to our
into all neighborhood centers?
success? Where are the gaps? community. Solid frontline em-
How do we encourage partner-
Perhaps, United Way of the ployees end up hopping from job
ships between child-care services
Coastal Empire or Chatham to job simply for better financial
and workforce development op-
County or a local university should opportunities, which requires
tions? How can we best use our
undertake an assessment to iden- employers to spend precious re-
public transportation options to
tify redundancies and offer rec- sources on high turnover.
facilitate workforce training? Case
ommendations for more efficient The only way to combat brain
in point: the Quick Start training
and effective service delivery, so drain and high turnover is to
facility is in Pooler, a municipali-
that limited human and financial truly value your employees with
ty just like Thunderbolt, Garden
resources can target the greatest competitive wages, salaries, and
City and Port Wentworth, that
areas of need. These programs benefits that match this mo-
has opted out of Chatham Area
should be part of a continuum of ment in time.
Transit services.
services from secondary and high-
Also, there is no reason why
er education to employment.
Savannah Technical College
should be considered our “best-
kept secret.” It should be top-
of-mind for any graduating stu-
dent. Let’s get the word out!

OUR VIEW
Numbers Tell Only

Part of the Story
The session is known as the that will stall you out.” to the local economy.
Savannah-Chatham Day “car Then he delivered a sobering Leveraging those assets is the
wash.” warning about where a stalled missing cog in the workforce
Hundreds of Savannahians workforce situation leads. development machine. As is
pack themselves into a Georgia “It’s very, very difficult to the rule in so many things in
Capitol hearing room and listen attract the next set of jobs,” Savannah, the program pro-
for the better part of three Butler said. “That’s why it is so viders don’t collaborate well
hours as a parade of elected important right now to concen- and thereby offer overlapping
officials offer remarks. Many trate on the jobs you have and training, a glaring inefficiency.
are gifted public speakers and fill them.” In addition, some of the schools
succeed in entertaining the A tight and stagnant labor do a poor job of marketing their
crowd as they wait for the late market can be detrimental to offerings and those programs go
afternoon reception. economic growth. If would-be underutilized.
For the most part, though, transplants, young people ready The sad reality is a significant
the “car wash” commentary is to enter the workforce, and portion of the Savannah-area
forgotten as soon as the first professionals looking for better employment force, 2.7 percent,
oyster is shucked at the after- opportunities don’t have access are underemployed. Many work
party. to workforce development ini- two jobs or more jobs or have
The exception this year were tiatives, a spiral in inevitable. embraced “side hustles.” The
the remarks of Georgia Labor Fortunately, Savannah has availability of work is good, but
Commissioner Mark Butler. His resources: a myriad of skills those working these largely
assessment of Savannah’s work- and training programs offered low-wage jobs have little time
force situation resonated — and through private and public or incentive to pursue career
continued to do so. organizations as well as and development goals.
Rather than hail our area’s several universities, a technical The low unemployment rate
historically low unemployment college and a public school sys- scares off companies consid-
rate and trumpet the success tem with curriculums tailored ering Savannah for relocation,
of large employers and core and without an influx of those
industries, Butler locked in on jobs, which tend to pay higher
our challenges. He took the wages, fewer professionals are
50,000-foot view on the topic of moving in.
workforce development, and in This cycle is what concerns
doing so sparked conversations Butler, the state’s labor commis-
that we look to further in this sioner, as well as local leaders.
issue of Beacon. For Savannah to maintain
Butler opened with num- and expand its prosperity, this
bers: Savannah-area employers community must embrace and
listed 8,600 jobs in December promote a culture of workforce
2019 and January 2020. When it development. The resources are
comes to creating jobs, very few hidden in plain sight; let’s shine
areas of the state can compete the light on them.
with Savannah, Butler said.
The flip side is Savannah has The Our View column reflects
more job openings than job the perspectives of Beacon’s edito-
seekers, and if Savannah can’t rial management and staff.
get workers for the jobs we do
have, “over time, if you can’t,
84 BEACON
IT’S WHAT NEIGHBORS DO
We take pride in the communities we call home. That’s why we
helped build a home for a local wounded warrior, mentor student
leaders and support nonprofit organizations. Together we soar.

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THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUE

Ten years of economic growth and workforce development

Still, we have a mismatch between jobs available and workers’ skills.

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 | MARCH 2020 A PUBLICATION OF THE SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS

Employment law soup? We can help.

SAVANNAH ST. SIMONS ISLAND

SHINING A LIGHT ON THE COASTAL EMPIRE

First Illuminated April 2019

Susan Catron, executive editor

Save money and improve business

It’s Using the that

Learn more and find great rebates at georgiapower.com/commercialsavings

RUNNING THE NUMBERS REWRITE THE NARRATIVE

JOB HUNTING 101 IN 2020

Kevin Jackson, EnviroVac

Partnerships between educators Brews and Views

March 2020 BEACON 9

We asked our contributors to tell us their biggest

Steven Alford Anthony Allison Hersh Patrick Sara E. Tania June

DRIVEN FOR SOLUTIONS. POWERED BY PASSION.

But first, let’s start by

March 2020 BEACON 13

On the first Friday of every month, the U.S. Department of Labor

March 2020 BEACON 15

9.3 WEEKS 27,300

Wherever You Go,

Coast Guard 41,250 Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor

Source: US News & World Report, 2019-20

March 2020 BEACON 17

and lower fiscal impacts.

terrell HONORING THE AREA’S BEST

from local businesses.

may 26, 2020

may 26, 2020

Are you ready for the new lease accounting rules?

Minding the Gap

March 2020 BEACON 23

At age 11, Rashena Grant lost

With some college

Zelonia Williams, founder because some of the people they

and executive director, encour- should be seeing don’t meet the

aged Grant to apply to the free, education requirements.”

Since founding Future Minds,

where participants are not re-

Williams has expanded the pro-

quired to show proof of income

gram’s reach to four locations:

March 2020 BEACON 25

Mentee of Collegiate 100

When Jamar Feggins was a

March 2020 BEACON 27

18 WEST BRYAN STREET 613 STEPHENSON AVE., Ste. 208

Roughly 30 percent of American workers need government permission to do their jobs.

March 2020 BEACON 31

Full STEAM Ahead

Careers in science, technology, engineering and

for rural communities.

What are the challenges in

March 2020 BEACON 33

March 2020 BEACON 35

March 2020 BEACON 37

Meet the people and

March 2020 BEACON 39