Reuters recently reported that – between supply chain issues and difficulty filling open positions – many small businesses are struggling financially. 60% of businesses polled by the Federal Reserve reported that hiring issues were at the root of their financial woes. We’ve all seen the “now hiring” signs posted all over the State of Georgia and many of us have felt the sting of diminished service capacities at restaurants and retailers due to staffing problems. Some businesses have had to cut back hours of operation to accommodate the staff they do have or minimize the number of customers they allow through the door so their team can keep up in hopes of providing the same great levels of service upon which their hard-won reputation is based. It’s a lose-lose situation for all involved, but the Georgia State Senate and Senator Brian Strickland are making moves to change that.
Earlier this year, Senator Strickland filed Senate Bill 379 to launch a $1.2 million Apprenticeship Program in Georgia. If the General Assembly of Georgia enacts the bill, it will provide a pathway for prospective workers to receive on-the-job training while earning their apprenticeship certificate through the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). In its simplest terms, the bill will connect workers looking for jobs to business owners in high-demand areas – turning a lose-lose situation into a BIG WIN for both small businesses and their future employees.
Involving students as young as 15-years of age, it has the capability to offer invaluable exposure to industries like automotive, construction, cybersecurity, health, manufacturing and more. If they start at age 15, after successful completion of the apprenticeship program, participants could earn $25,000 by the time they graduate high school as well as a technical college certificate and a promising future with the company where they apprenticed.
Particularly promising for businesses in rural areas, passage of Senate Bill 379 will allow companies in communities where there are not a great deal of skilled workers or higher educational opportunities available to immediately bring in workers without waiting on individuals to return after obtaining a traditional college degree.
Senate Bill 379 is co-sponsored by Senators Dugan (District 30), Thompson (District 14), Miller (District 49), and Jones (District 25), among others. It’s just another shining example of how Brian Strickland is not only fighting for the people and businesses of District 17, but also for Georgians everywhere – from the Golden Shores to the North Georgia Mountains.
If you have questions or wish to learn how you can throw your support behind Brian Strickland and Senate Bill 379, call his office at 678.583.4865, send an email to brianstricklandforgeorgia@gmail.com or message his staff on social media: @StricklandforGA on Twitter, @StricklandforGA on Facebook or @StricklandforGA on Instagram.
In 2023 the Georgia State Senate District 17 will encompass parts of Walton, Newton, Henry, and Morgan with over 150,000 registered voters. Brian Strickland entered his third full term in the Georgia Senate in 2021. Brian, his wife Lindsay, and their two children reside in McDonough, GA. Through Brian’s leadership position at the capitol where he fights for District 17, and all of Georgia, he has impacted Georgia for the better through various executed actions. Not only did Brian support the First Responder bill which aids police, firefighter, and EMS personnel but he was a key player in the passing of the Georgia Criminal Justice reform bills and Georgia Surprise Medical bills. Above and beyond that, Brian labored to bring funding to Southern Crescent Technical College making it one of the top technical schools in Georgia and is constantly raising the bar in the fight against human trafficking.