Georgia's Workforce Conference

Registration now open!

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024 | 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel | 1197 S. Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA 30602

Regular registration (starts July 20): $275

Breakout session with speaker and attendees at the 2023 Workforce Conference.

Explore Workforce Development in Georgia

Join us for our two-day Georgia’s Workforce Conference to learn about innovative strategies and programs Georgia companies, communities and organizations are using to address talent development needs and build long-term workforce pipelines.

Georgia’s Workforce Conference will bring together partners in workforce development, education, business and economic development to explore promising practices and emerging ideas to solve talent challenges around the state.

Conference Information

An opening plenary will share workforce and demographics data to guide the day's conversations. Additional plenary and breakout sessions will showcase business and education strategies to address the state's talent challenges and top workforce needs. The agenda also offers networking opportunities.

Learn What's New

Example breakout session topics include:

Braiding and leveraging public funding with private funds for a strong return on investment
Using innovative social media tips for broader workforce prediction and engagement
Incorporating “second-chance” workers into your hiring pool
Bridging the gap between CTAE and the manufacturing industry
Making ethical decisions when using artificial intelligence
Creating a child care strategy for your workplace

Conference Agenda

View the agenda

Featured Sessions

Economic and Labor Market Outlook

A discussion of current U.S. economic trends and outlooks and what those may mean for the course of monetary policy and interest rates. Current and expected labor market conditions will be emphasized, with a discussion of factors expected to impact both labor supply and labor demand.

Richard Moody headshot

Richard Moody | Senior Vice President, Chief Economist at Regions Bank

Moody established and manages the Applied Market Research Group for Regions. He became Regions’ Chief Economist in July 2012, and in this role serves as Regions’ principal spokesperson on all economic issues. Prior to joining Regions, Moody was Chief Economist and Director of Research for Forward Capital. Additionally, he has served as Vice President and Senior Economist for PNC Financial Services Group, Senior Economist with Economy.com, Director of Economic Analysis at Metro Market Trends, Inc., and as a faculty member in the Department of Economics at James Madison University.

Unpacking the State of AI and its Impact on Workforce Development

Steven Lee, an expert in AI at McKinsey, will unpack the current state of AI, including the impact of advances in Generative AI technology. He will also discuss the implications of AI on talent needs, industry disruption and worker training.

Steven Lee headshot

Steven Lee | Expert in AI at McKinsey

Lee leads McKinsey’s US Government Analytics practice and has spent the majority of his career guiding critical advanced technology efforts for the US Federal and commercial sectors, including launching analytics capabilities and enterprise data solutions for Army, Navy, Air Force, USMC, Space Force, DoD 4th Estate, Congress, and the Departments of State and Homeland Security. In addition, he has served as a trusted advisor and senior AI expert to the Defense Innovation Board, international technology collaborations, academic research labs and Congressional initiatives. He has founded several technology start-ups and non-profits, including an AI Research and Development firm that was integral to launching the U.S. Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, a clean water initiative for East Africa and a tech collaborative to bring data literacy to disadvantaged school systems.

Powering the Future: Workforce Transformation in the Era of Electric Vehicle Adoption

This panel explores the evolving workforce needs driven by the rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). Topics discussed will include EV adoption, job creation and economic growth forecast as well as the resulting need for skills and training for both the EV manufacturing and infrastructure industries.

Asher Dozier

Asher Dozier | E-Mobility Engagement Lead at UGA Institute of Government

Dozier collaborates with public, private and academic partners to support the state’s efforts to grow its workforce, enhance prosperity and lead the nation in e-mobility deployment. Before joining UGA, Dozier spent over 18 years in Newton County local government, serving in various leadership positions in public safety, human resources, community development and economic development. He is recognized as a workforce development leader in the state, specializing in programming focused on the intersection of career readiness, technical education, and emerging technologies.

Mark Hawkinson headshot

Mark Hawkinson | President of RavenVolt

Hawkinson has held various leadership roles in sales and operations at ABM. As President of ABM’s Technical Solutions and ABM’s resiliency brand, RavenVolt, he leads a team of professional engineers, developers, business leaders and sales professionals, establishing critical infrastructure for future electrification needs across a variety of segments, including commercial and public fleets, commercial and industrial facilities, airports, data centers and retail.

Steven Jahng headshot

Steven Jahng | Vice President of Hyundai Motor Group - Georgia

Jahng oversees and manages Government Affairs, Academic Outreach and External Affairs for Hyundai Motor Group's Georgia Office. Jahng was previously the Director of External Affairs at SK Battery America in Georgia, Executive Director at JP Morgan Chase in Seoul & Singapore and Director at HSBC Investment Bank in Seoul.