VALDOSTA – The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, Development Authority and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College had a summit at the Rainwater Conference Center on ways to recruit employees into area businesses. 

The event consisted of three panels on how to attract people for the workforce, especially students who are at least 16 years old.

The first panel was on Successful Strategies, and the panelists were Jason Van Nus from Lowndes County Schools, Nicole West from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, Carla C. Jordan from Valdosta State University, Amy Thompson from Moody Air Force Base and Michael Rewis from Valdosta City Schools. 

Van Nus said he had success through a work-based learning program for high school students. He encourages companies to use a work-based program to get ahead of the competition. 

“If you follow the traditional model where they go to college, as soon as that student graduates from college, guess who else knows about them?” he said. “Everyone in your industry, because that’s where they are looking. If you want to get those students before your competitor, employ them in high school and get them involved on board in your culture and on board in your community.” 

Students also have opportunity through Career, Technical, Agriculture and Education pathways in Valdosta schools. 

“We have 23 different career pathways from agriculture to cosmetology,” Rewis said. “We offer our students real world skills and we are preparing them for the future.” 

Valdosta City Schools teach about 2,200 students and about 1,350 of those students are enrolled in a CTAE pathway. Valdosta schools had a 98.9% graduation rate through these pathways, according to Rewis. 

Not only do high school students have opportunities but college students can find success through virtual recruitments and internships. 

Valdosta State University provides virtual recruitment through a website called Blazer Briefcase where students can apply, Jordan said. 

Van Nus and Nichole Shanks, Ace Electric manager, spoke during a second panel on recruiting high school students in a work-based learning program with Ace Electric while earning credits with Wiregrass. 

“Company partnership, that’s what we are here about,” Van Nus said. “We are about partnering together, trying to tackle economic development. That comes from my level which is the workforce. That is the first step in the economic development process is developing the workforce.”

The program started off with Ace Electric having a critical labor shortage and Lowndes County Schools needing dynamic placements for students who were in programs such as construction, welding and agriculture, Van Nus said. 

“My goal is to take these students and put them into a place that’s going to facilitate what they are learning in the classroom and also align with their expressed interest and career goal,” he said. 

Through the work-based learning program, nine Lowndes High School students were able to work with the company and gain college credits, Van Nus said. 

The program generated a five-way win between the individual, the schools, the students, the program instructors and CTAE. 

The last panel was on Creating an Attractive Work Culture. Panelists were Douglas Swords from Azalea Health, Matt Pridemore from Badcock Furniture & More, Jeana Beeland from CJB Industries and Dave Wade from The Home Depot Distribution Center. 

The panel discussed how there is more to a job than money, such as creating a good work environment by giving paternity leave in addition to maternity leave and giving the employee a day off if they work on a holiday.

“They want to feel like they are contributing to the company’s overall success,” Swords said.