Georgia Department of Labor - Press Release
Georgia Department of
Labor
Suite 642 148 International Boulevard N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1751 (404)656-3032

December 9, 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATION'S LARGEST WORKFORCE CONFERENCE OPENS TODAY IN ATLANTA

ATLANTA -- State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said today that the Georgia Workforce Conference, which opens in Atlanta at 9 a.m. today, will be the largest workforce conference ever held in the United States. Gov. Roy Barnes will give the keynote address at noon at the two-day conference, which will continue until Friday, Dec. 10, at the Georgia World Congress Center.

"This conference is designed to bring together workforce professionals as well as employers, employees, and local and state elected officials, to begin to address the issue of creating a statewide workforce development system here in Georgia," said Thurmond. "We expect more than 2,000 attendees.

"We will be unveiling our proposed strategy for developing the system. We will also begin to deal with the issue of implementing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. This landmark legislation will give Georgia and other states the opportunity to have a great deal more flexibility in apportioning funds for training, education and skills enhancements for workers.

"Georgia is experiencing historically low unemployment," Thurmond continued. "Preliminary indications are that when we release the November unemployment rate next week, it will be 3.4 percent, matching the record for the lowest rate in Georgia's history set in May of 1971. While this is great news that so many of our people are working, our employers are facing a serious shortage of skilled workers. To meet this challenge, we must train and educate a world-class workforce to maintain our competitive edge in today's global economy."

A highlight of the conference will be the unveiling of the Georgia Department of Labor's new prototype Workforce Center. The center will showcase an innovative system designed to deliver a

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Georgia Department of Labor - Press Release
full-range of customer-focused services and products to employers and job seekers at the local level.

Workshops will be held on several topics, including: Building One-Stop Systems, the Nuts and Bolts of the WIA, Working With the Inexperienced Worker, Individual Training Accounts, Demographic Trends and Youth Opportunities Under the WIA. Also, Apprenticeship Opportunities, Capitalizing on the Untapped Potential of Special Populations, Effective Local Partnerships Within Georgia, Improving Your Bottom Line and World-Class Employees.

In addition to Gov. Barnes, other speakers today include U.S. Sen. Max Cleland, Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, Clark Atlanta University professor Edward Irons and author Ben Bissell.

Dr. Donald Ratajczak of Georgia State University, one of the nation's leading economists, will speak Friday. An education forum that also will be held Friday morning will include: Dr. Ken Breeden, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, University System Chancellor Stephen Portch, State School Superintendent Linda Schrenko and Otis Brumby, chairman of the Georgia Board of Education.

E-mail: communications@dol.state.ga.us.

FY-00-284

An Equal Opportunity Employer

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