Be Pro Be Proud Drills Down the Skilled Trade Shortage Be Pro Be Proud Georgia, an initiative that promotes 15 of Georgia’s most in-demand skilled professions through a hands-on mobile workshop and interactive website, visited 43 cities across the state of Georgia during the 2021-2022 school year.The initiative’s gamified stations allow students to see what it’s like to get behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler, assemble a PVC pipe, analyze human anatomy through augmented reality, bind metal through a virtual welding experience, explore a career in linework behind the lens of an Oculus VR headset, discover robotics and automation, and test hand-eye coordination through an engaging skills challenge. As part of the tour, middle and high school students are given the opportunity to “join the movement” to be connected to training and potential employers that need new employees to replenish the diminishing workforce. Of the 13,532 students who toured, nearly 75% (10,129) joined the movement and expressed their career plans; these numbers include students from Cherokee County high schools. For the 2021-2022 school year, nearly 60% of these students said they plan to pursue a career in the skilled professions or technical training after graduation. Four new partners joined Be Pro Be Proud Georgia this year including American Home Shield, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Select Cobb, and Wellstar Health System. Wellstar Health System is Be Pro Be Proud’s first health care partner, a field that is projected to grow more than 10% over the next decade. Since 2020, Be Pro Be Proud has hosted nearly 24,000 visitors on the mobile workshop across 43 counties and 238 tour stops. In addition to identifying the state’s top skilled professions, the initiative provides robust training resources – offering a comprehensive list of Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) training programs. Through partnerships with state agencies, local industry, and higher education entities, Be Pro Be Proud is effectively working to connect students across the state to high-demand careers, replenishing essential jobs vacated by the retiring workforce. To view upcoming tour dates, visit BeProBeProudGa.org.
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