City of Atlanta
The Atlanta Workforce Development Agency (AWDA) recently launched for the first time a citywide outreach and education campaign, “A strong workforce makes…#aGREATERatlanta.” On MARTA ads throughout the city of Atlanta and placements in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the agency uses the personal stories of customers, employees and Atlanta businesses who partner with the Agency to shed light on the importance and impact of the city’s workforce system.
“I want everyone to know that we exist solely for one purpose, and that is to help our residents bridge the gap between unemployment and prosperity and a living wage,” said Michael T. Sterling, Executive Director, Atlanta Workforce Development Agency. “This campaign will be an important tool for our agency as we continue to assist residents with finding sustainable employment.”
The agency’s outreach campaign is a way to share the triumphs of Atlanta residents from all different backgrounds who come to the agency to create better lives for themselves and their families. AWDA customers from varying backgrounds shared their stories for the #aGREATERatlanta campaign.
“AWDA accepted me despite my situation and welcomed me as family,” said Deon Vincent, a 21 year-old AWDA Customer from Mechanicsville. “They showed me the ropes until I learned it. Then they gave me the opportunity to earn it. AWDA inspired me to help the next person in need.”
“AWDA helped me go back to school,” said Earline Williams, a 67-year-old AWDA customer who recently went back to school to earn her Certified Nursing Assistant certification.
In addition to past and present AWDA customers, AWDA employees share why their work is vital to making sure that Atlanta residents are on a path to sustainable employment.
“When I started my career in public service, I was happy to find something that allowed me to fulfill my passion of helping others,” says Lillie Madali, AWDA’s Deputy Director of Operations, who is currently working to build out a new program to reduce recidivism through training in high demand occupations.
“AWDA’s efforts to build a stronger workforce for the City of Atlanta are driven by the needs of businesses looking for skilled employees. I work with businesses to develop their workforce by bridging skills gap in labor market and connecting qualified job seekers to good jobs and careers,” says Amit Khanduri, AWDA’s Business Relations Manager.
The business community plays a crucial role in building a stronger workforce for the City of Atlanta. As the City’s workforce system, AWDA’s mandate is to equip Atlanta’s job seekers with the right skills to fill critical jobs that employers need to remain competitive.
“AWDA and CVS/Caremark have partnered to develop an apprenticeship program for pharmacy technicians,” said Mike Romesburg, Lead Manager, Workforce Initiatives Department at CVS Health. “For CVS, the investment has yielded a highly trained and productive workforce.”
To view the campaign and find out the placement locations around the city, click here.
To watch behind the scenes footage, visit AWDA’s YouTube channel.