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Long-term Relationships Bring Innovative Success

Innovation is crucial to the continuing success of any organization, particularly in trying times. AGC Georgia has seen herculean efforts and participated in unprecedented success led by its members and leadership team in every area of its business during the last two years. The series that follows spotlights significant breakthroughs in Governmental Affairs, Workforce Development and the Young Leadership Program. E ach of the i nitiatives spotlighted have laid the foundation for consistent growth year over year.

Legislative Efforts

Governmental Affairs Team Worked Tirelessly in 2020 and 2021 to Ensure the Construction Industry Continued to Thrive

“Originally we were fighting city to city and county to county for support and recognition of essential status as an industry. But in 2020, Governor Kemp kept us working by recognizing our industry as essential. Then when the pandemic was at its height and the country was shutting down, Governor Kemp worked with us again by issuing an Executive Order that allowed for the use of private (Architect and Engineer) plan review and inspections…we had people working to build temporary hospitals, and continuing work on high rises and airports,” said Mark Woodall, Director, Governmental Affairs. “The General Assembly has since made this Executive Order permanent law. Governor Kemp is pro-business, pro-industry! We believe he helped to save our businesses and industry by keeping us working. We are forever grateful and continue to thrive.”

Woodall continued to explain there were other innovative solutions in play in 2021, “Creative solutions were planned with our partners at Construction Ready to continue to train and groom our future workforce. AGC Georgia and Construction Ready teamed up to learn more about the opportunity to receive monies from Georgia’s first allocation of the Federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Funding. This is part of the CARES Act. After sharing our message of how the construction industry has rewarding career opportunities and proven training, we were awarded $3.3 million.”

The team at AGC Georgia is excited about this funding going to our workforce development partner, Construction Ready, to help provide more construction training during these unprecedented times due to COVID-19. The funds are expanding Construction Ready’s adult program, which takes Georgians through a 20-day construction education program that ends with training, credentialing, and job placement. Since 2014, Construction Ready has trained more than 1,000 workers of all ages for a successful career in construction. They have 96% job placement at the end of the training period and each person receives a starting salary of $12$15 per hour. Seventy percent of those placed are employed with their first employer at their one-year anniversary of completing the Construction Ready program.

“We are so excited to see how these funds will create life-changing opportunities for individuals who want a rewarding career,” Woodall proudly shared.