BlackRock invests $1 million in Georgia workforce training

More than $700,000 will go to the technical college system’s “Last Mile Fund,” a scholarship program that helps students overcome financial burdens that could prevent them from graduating. The other funds will go toward Training on the Go, a program that allows students to earn credentials for high-demand career fields while also taking classes.

The money will launch the BlackRock Foundation Empowerment Fund, helping expand advanced manufacturing and construction pre-apprenticeship programs. It’s a piece of the foundation’s $6 million investment in workforce development nationwide, an effort, the company said, “to equip more workers with the tools to secure in-demand jobs and boost their economic mobility.”

Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Greg Dozier called the partnership with BlackRock a powerful investment in the state’s future workforce.

Credit: Contributed

Credit: Contributed

“By helping more students complete training and earn credentials — especially in rural communities and high-demand fields — we’re not only changing lives, we’re building the talent pipeline that keeps Georgia the number one state for business,” he said in the press release.

TCSG has recently been working to expand Georgia’s workforce to meet the needs of employers. Two years ago it invested more than $1 million to create 127 apprenticeships with more than 41 employers across the state. Even so, in a 2024 Georgia Chamber of Commerce survey, 62% of business executives cited workforce shortages as their top concern.

To attract more people to certain professions, the Georgia Association of Manufacturers is launching a digital platform that will list job postings, youth apprenticeships, training programs and “insights into the modern age of manufacturing.” The association represents companies big and small, such as Kia Georgia in West Point, the Toyo Tire company in Bartow County, glass fabrication line manufacturer Grenzebach in Newnan and flooring makers Shaw Industries and Engineered Floors in Dalton. In total, the association says its companies employ nearly 427,000 workers.

Funding from BlackRock will ostensibly give businesses across the state a larger talent pool to hire from.

“The Empowerment Fund is a perfect example of how public-private partnerships can expand opportunity, close skills gaps, and support economic mobility across the state,” said Dozier.