Gordon Speaks at Lt. Governor's Summit on Georgia's Workforce Needs
The Vinson Institute's Rob Gordon addressed some of the state's top business, education, and government leaders at a breakout session held during the Lt. Governor's Business and Education Summit on November 15 in Rome. The summit was an opportunity for individuals to discuss the changing needs of Georgia's future workforce and strategies for meeting those needs and building a strong economy.
Gordon shared results from a recent survey conducted by the Institute on behalf of the Georgia Department of Education (DOE) and in partnership with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. The survey asked business leaders statewide and in a variety of sectors about the workforce skills students need to be competitive. The questionnaire covered many aspects of workforce development, from so-called "employability skills" such as punctuality and professionalism to industry-specific technical capabilities.
The results of the survey are being used to help DOE redesign and more finely target their Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) curriculum. Within the CTAE framework, there are 17 areas of concentration, called Career Clusters, which include Business and Computer Science, Engineering and Technology, Agriculture, Healthcare Science, and more. Once established, the Career Clusters will provide specialized curricula for Georgia's students so that they leave high school college- and career-ready.
Gordon manages the Vinson Institute unit that provides demographic and economic forecasts and research for the state and localities. He also coordinates with governments around Georgia to promote economic development through a variety of Institute services. He was recently named as one of the members of the 2013 Leadership Georgia class.
