Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp proudly delivered the keynote at the second annual Governor's Workforce Summit, highlighting Georgia's designation as the top state for business for the 11th year in a row, according to official reports. Area Development magazine's poll, leveraging input from about 50 site consulting firms, confirms the ongoing economic achievement. Governor Kemp underscored Georgia's commitment to its pro-business policies and workforce development, crediting the achievement to a dedicated collective of economic developers and partners.
The summit, a convergence of minds from the academic, business, and political realms, intends to align priorities and preen the workforce for Georgia's job landscape. Placing particular emphasis on education, the Governor heralded the accomplishments of Georgia MATCH, revealing that the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) recorded enrollment upticks of 6.2% and 9.3%, respectively, following the program's promotion. These gains come despite "the challenges created by the federal government's mishandling of this year's FAFSA rollout," Kemp stated.
Dennis Shea, Area Development's Publisher, praised Georgia's consistent high rankings in subcategories critical to economic development, such as workforce availability, business costs, and infrastructure. Commenting on the state's broad attractiveness to businesses seeking expansion or initiation, he lauded the sustained excellence and the harmonized efforts at state and local levels that have fortified Georgia's economic landscape.
Marrying infrastructure, education, and workforce progression, Georgia's strategies have yielded a profitable business climate, detailed Pat Wilson, Commissioner of Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). The collaboration and commitment of various partners, he noted, have carved opportunities that promise long-term prosperity for Georgia’s communities. He said, “Congratulations and thank you to all of the partners who have worked together to achieve opportunities over the last few years that will deliver long-term benefits to Georgia’s communities and industries for decades to come.” Amidst comparisons to other states, success seems a faithful companion to Georgia's economic endeavors.
Reflecting a robust economy, Georgia saw significant developments in fiscal year 2024, with the GDEcD's Global Commerce team supporting hundreds of expansions and new locations, anticipated to generate over 26,000 jobs coupled with multi-billion-dollar investments. Such statistics bolster Georgia's reputation, painting the state as more than just peaches and history — but as a premier entrepreneurial and industrial heartland.
