Technical College System of Georgia and Georgia Department of Community Affairs to Implement $8.367 Million Grant in Southwest Georgia
TCSG and DCA to support economic development and recovery in areas affected by Hurricane Michael
ATLANTA, GA–The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) has been selected by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to administer the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Workforce Development Program. The grant will utilize $8.367 million of the $41.837 million allocation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded to Georgia in response to Hurricane Michael (2018). This partnership marks the advent of a four-year program to support Georgians by supplying residents of communities impacted by the disaster with the necessary skills and job readiness to increase their household income. Activities of the program will include on-the-job training, customized training, and job readiness services, as well as wrap-around social services that affect job readiness.
“The Technical College System of Georgia and its colleges are so appreciative to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for allowing us to help steward the important work of the Community Development Block Grant in support of disaster recovery in Southwest Georgia,” said TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier. “By supporting the workforce pipeline and economic revitalization in these communities, we not only support these regions, but our entire state.”
The Workforce Development program will serve a 20-county area in Southwest Georgia, including those hardest hit by the hurricane: Dougherty, Decatur, and Seminole counties. TCSG will be working closely with its colleges in these areas, including Albany Technical College, Oconee Fall Line Technical College, South Georgia Technical College, and Southern Regional Technical College, to implement the program in these service delivery areas.
“The Georgia Department of Community Affairs is proud to partner with the Technical College System of Georgia for this important initiative. The CDBG Disaster Recovery program has been essential in rebuilding Southwest Georgia from the effects of Hurricane Michael, and this Workforce Development Program is an extension of the recovery work in these 20 counties,” said DCA Commissioner Christopher Nunn. “Helping to build strong, vibrant communities means more than infrastructure. It also entails supporting the job market, education, childcare, and equal access to opportunities. This holistic approach to revitalization will provide sustainable, stable solutions that will continue to enhance the State of Georgia.”
The program will begin implementation in summer 2021. For more information and to determine program eligibility, please visit www.DCA.GA.gov.
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ABOUT THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM OF GEORGIA
The 22 colleges of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) are Georgia’s top resource for skilled workers. TCSG offers world-class training in 600 associate degree, diploma and certificate programs to students who are trained on state-of-the-art equipment by instructors who are experts in their fields. The system also houses Georgia’s Office of Adult Education, which promotes and provides adult literacy and education programs, including the GED testing program, throughout the state. In addition, TCSG partners with companies through Quick Start, the nation’s top customized workforce training program, and through its individual colleges, who work with local industry to provide workforce and training solutions. For more information, visit TCSG.edu.
ABOUT THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) partners with communities to build strong and vibrant neighborhoods, commercial and industrial areas through community and economic development, local government assistance, and safe and affordable housing. Using state and federal resources, DCA helps communities spur private job creation, implement planning, develop downtowns, generate affordable housing solutions and promote volunteerism. DCA also helps qualified Georgians with low and moderate incomes buy homes, rent housing and prevent foreclosure and homelessness. For more information, visit www.dca.ga.gov.
CONTACT:
Mark D’Alessio
404-679-1617