Georgia leaders highlight link between education and workforce development

Chancellor Perdue and Labor Commissioner Rivera Holmes say education drives Georgia's economic growth

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Corporations, no matter how big or small, are looking to hire the best and brightest employees.  That was the message from the 2025 Macon & Eggs: Education breakfast forum, which brought together local, regional, and state leaders in education and workforce development.

The Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, Dr. Sonny Perdue, said education and the economy go hand-in-hand. “I learned from [former Georgia Governor] Zell Miller that they are intertwined, they’re like a flywheel, the talent that is thrown off from education leads to economic development, and obviously leads to more opportunities and resources to create better education,” said Dr. Perdue.

Barbara Rivera Holmes, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor says the same. She said the Georgia Department of Labor is working to meet future employees’ needs through its unemployment and re-entry into the workplace programs. Rivera Holmes said the Department of Labor is a lifeline for Georgians and a connector for employers. “With our labor market information, making sure that our students, that our educators, know what the jobs in Georgia look like, what the trajectory of growth looks like, but they can really choose high-demand career pathways that will allow them to build careers in Georgia,” said Rivera Holmes.

By focusing on high-demand career pathways and building partnerships between education systems and employers, Georgia leaders aim to help workers and companies alike achieve long-term growth.