Career Ready Training Program Graduates 28 Participants

Author: Douglas County Economic Development

October 10, 2019 (Douglasville, GA) – The Career Ready Training Program graduated its third cohort consisting of 28 participants. This cohort was the first to be geared towards adults who are seeking to upskill or reskill to meet the demands on industry in Douglas County. This program is funded through a grant from Atlanta CareerRise and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding. The participants committed to a six-week training program designed to train in critical technical and soft skills identified by local employers. The participants earned certifications in Forklift Operation and Power Tools as well as OSHA-10. Following the graduation ceremony, the graduates participated in Interview Day with ten employer partners.

“The Career Ready Training Program was initiated, developed and implemented in partnership with the business community. With the unemployment rate reaching historical lows, our industry partners are seeking innovative ways to reach a new pipeline of talent. We are very excited to work with our partners in education and industry on this creative initiative” says Breezy Straton, Director of Existing Industry and Workforce, for the Douglas County Economic Development Authority.

“Finding quality talent is a challenge for most companies and innovative programs such as the Career Ready Training Program allows the residents of the community the opportunity to receive training specifically designed to meet the needs of the businesses. We are thrilled to partner with both the Youth and the Adult Career Ready Training Programs” – Beverly Tate, Human Resources Director at Gordon Food Service, Douglasville

Graduates: Joshua Alexander, Legend Askew, Christopher Ballard, Claudia Cochran, Tyler Chazulle, Jackie Cooper, Kyla Fletcher, Regina Green, Payton Griffith, Angela Harper, Eric Harper, Kelvin Harris, Cedric Herbert, Isaiah Hoo, Christopher Long, Amir Muhammad, Sharif Muhammad, Donte Rhone, Marvin Rue, Princess Smith, Gary Sparks, Jr., Carol Springer, Violet Tibbs, Ahijah Vallarde, Antonette Vallarde, Arthur Walker, Anika Williams, and Nero Wise.

Employer Partners: Ben Hill Roofing, Metro Garage Doors, Menasha, Medline Industries, Atlanta West Carpets, Czarnowski, Gordon Food Service, Essendant, TruLite, and Vulcan Materials.

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The Career Ready Training Program is the signature workforce development initiative of the Douglas County Economic Development Authority. The mission of the Douglas County Economic Development Authority is to bring quality jobs and opportunities to the citizens of Douglas County through continued growth in new and existing industry. For more information on the Douglas County Economic Development Authority please visit www.DevelopDouglas.com.