TIFTON – Rural Georgia has benefited disproportionately from a wave of unprecedented economic development across the state during the last four years, with more than three-quarters of projects going outside metro Atlanta.
But there’s a downside to the progress: With a statewide unemployment rate of just 3.2%, there aren’t enough workers to fill the 400,000 job openings expected in the next decade.
kAm%96 D>2== 4:EJ @7 %9@>2DG:==6 :? $@FE9H6DE v6@C8:2 :D 5@:?8 D@>6E9:?8 23@FE :E H:E9 2? :?:E:2E:G6 =2F?4965 :? a_`h 2:>65 2E 2 =24< @7 AC6A2C65?6DD 2>@?8 DEF56?ED 7@C 9@=5:?8 8@@5\A2J:?8 ;@3D :? E@52J’D H@C<7@C46 2?5 2E 32CC:6CD E@ H@C< :?4=F5:?8 :?256BF2E6 49:=5\42C6 @AE:@?D[ =24< @7 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? 2?5 2 D9@CE286 @7 277@C523=6 9@FD:?8]k^Am
Recommended for you
The Henry County Christmas Festival was held at Nash Farm Park Saturday. Here are some scenes from the event. Click for more.PHOTOS: Henry County Christmas Festival
kAm%96 <6J E@ x>28:?6 %9@>2DG:==6 92D 366? =@42= A@=:E:42=[ 3FD:?6DD[ 2?5 65F42E:@? =6256CD 4@??64E:?8 H:E9 6249 @E96C C2E96C E92? DE2J:?8 :?D:56 E96:C C6DA64E:G6 D:=@D[ $96==6J +@C?[ AC6D:56?E 2?5 rt~ @7 E96 %9@>2DG:==6 !2JC@== s6G6=@A>6?E pFE9@C:EJ[ D2:5 yF=J ae 5FC:?8 E96 v6@C8:2 r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46’D 2??F2= #FC2= !C@DA6C:EJ $F>>:E @? E96 42>AFD @7 p3C292> q2=5H:? p8C:4F=EFC2= r@==686]k^Am
kAm“(92E x =:<6 23@FE E9:D :D H6 H6C6?’E 4C62E:?8 2 =@E @7 ?6H AC@8C2>D 2?5 D6CG:46D[” +@C? D2:5] “xE ;FDE 96=A65 36:?8 :? 2 C@@> 2?5 <?@H:?8 H92E’D @FE E96C6] … p =@E @7 8@@5 H@C< :D 8@:?8 @? 3642FD6 H6 4@@C5:?2E6 H:E9 6249 @E96C]”k^Am
kAm+@C?’D @C82?:K2E:@? A2CE?6C65 H:E9 E96 %9@>2DG:==6 U2>Aj %9@>2D r@F?EJ r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46 E@ DE2CE x>28:?6 %9@>2DG:==6 7@FC J62CD 28@ @?=J E@ 36 D:56EC24<65 3J E96 A2?56>:4] %96 H@C< 8@E F?56CH2J :? 62C?6DE :? a_a` H96? E96 @C82?:K2E:@?D 9:C65 E96 pE=2?E2\32D65 v6@C8:2 !2CE?6CD9:A 7@C tI46==6?46 :? t5F42E:@? Wv!ttX – 2 v6@C8:2 r92>36C 277:=:2E6 – E@ 4@?5F4E 2 J62C\=@?8 DFCG6J @7 9F?5C65D @7 =@42= C6D:56?ED]k^Am
kAm%96 C6DF=ED C6G62=65 D6G6C2= 492==6?86D :?4=F5:?8 E96 ?665 7@C 36EE6C 4@>>F?:42E:@? 2>@?8 =@42= =6256CD] {2FC6? #257@C5[ 2 =@42= 962=E9\:?DFC2?46 3C@<6C[ H2D AFE E@ H@C< 2E E96 9625 @7 2 4@>>:EE66 E2D<65 H:E9 :>AC@G:?8 E9@D6 C6=2E:@?D9:AD]k^Am
kAm#257@C5 3C@F89E E@86E96C 2 5:G6CD6 4C@DD\D64E:@? @7 %9@>2DG:==6 C6D:56?ED :? E6C>D @7 C246 2?5 D@4:@64@?@>:4 DE2EFD E@ E2=< :? 9@?6DE E6C>D 23@FE :?6BF2=:EJ]k^Am
kAm“%96D6 2C6 F?4@>7@CE23=6 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[ 3FE :E’D ?646DD2CJ[” D96 D2:5] “(6 2C6 92G:?8 E@ 6DE23=:D9 ECFDE E92E ?6G6C 6I:DE65 367@C6] (6’C6 86EE:?8 E96C6]”k^Am
kAm%@ 86E 2E E96 H@C<7@C46 AC6A2C65?6DD :DDF6[ :E H2D ?646DD2CJ E@ 7@4FD @? 65F42E:@?[ 2?5 E96 492==6?86D 2C6 52F?E:?8]k^Am
kAmu@CEJ A6C46?E @7 v6@C8:2?D ad 2?5 @=56C 92G6 ?@ 4C656?E:2= @C 568C66 36J@?5 9:89 D49@@=[ D2:5 s2?2 #:4<>2?[ E96 v!tt’D AC6D:56?E] w@H6G6C[ edT @7 v6@C8:2 25F=ED H:== ?665 D@>6 7@C> @7 A@DE\D64@?52CJ 4C656?E:2= “@7 G2=F6” 3J a_bb[ #:4<>2? D2:5]k^Am
kAmr=@D:?8 E92E 82A 36EH66? H@C<7@C46 ?665D 2?5 65F42E:@?2= 249:6G6>6?E H:== 36 5:77:4F=E 8:G6? E96 D9@CE286 @7 BF2=:7:65 DEF56?ED]k^Am
kAmrFCC6?E=J[ @7 6G6CJ `__ v6@C8:2?D H9@ 6?E6C 9:89 D49@@=[ g` H:== 8C25F2E6 @? E:>6[ ea H:== 6?C@== :? D@>6 7@C> @7 9:896C 65F42E:@? H:E9:? EH@ J62CD @7 8C25F2E:?8 9:89 D49@@=[ H9:=6 @?=J cb H:== >2<6 :E E9C@F89 E96 D64@?5 J62C @7 A@DE\D64@?52CJ 65F42E:@?]k^Am
kAm“(6’C6 =@D:?8 dfT @7 E96 A:A6=:?6[” #:4<>2? D2:5]k^Am
kAm#:4<>2? D2:5 62C=J =62C?:?8 :D 2 <6J E@ :>AC@G:?8 E9@D6 5:D4@FC28:?8 ?F>36CD] qFE :? %9@>2DG:==6[ E96C6’D 2 D9@CE286 @7 62C=J\42C6 2?5 62C=J\=62C?:?8 @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C <:5D]k^Am
kAm+@C? D2:5 2 DFCG6J C6A@CE65 a[fd_ 49:=5C6? FA E@ E96 286 @7 d :? %9@>2DG:==6 3FE @?=J `[bbb 49:=5 42C6 DA@ED]k^Am
kAm{:D2 q:==FAD[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 %9@>2DG:==6 r@>>F?:EJ #6D@FC46 r6?E6C[ :D E24<=:?8 E96 49:=5\42C6 D9@CE286 H:E9 2 AC@8C2> E92E :?G@=G6D E6249:?8 a\ 2?5 b\J62C\@=5D E@ C625 2E 9@>6] r6?E6C 6>A=@J66D G:D:E 72>:=:6D 7@C b_ >:?FE6D EH:46 2 H66< 7@C ae H66<D 3C:?8:?8 3@@<D]k^Am
kAm%96 AC@8C2> DE2CE65 H:E9 7:G6 72>:=:6D 3FE 92D 8C@H? :ED 42A24:EJ E@ c_] w@H6G6C[ e_ 72>:=:6D 92G6 6IAC6DD65 :?E6C6DE[ q:==FAD D2:5]k^Am
kAm“(6 42?’E <66A FA H:E9 E96 56>2?5[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmq:==FAD D2:5 @?6 D:56 36?67:E E@ E96 AC@8C2> :D :E 8:G6D E96 46?E6C 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 6?4@FC286 A2C6?ED E@ D:8? FA 7@C vts 4=2DD6D D@ E96J 42? 62C? 2E =62DE 2 9:89 D49@@= 5:A=@>2]k^Am
kAm“x 36=:6G6 65F42E:@? :D E96 8C62E 6BF2=:K6C[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%9@>2DG:==6 r:EJ r@F?4:=>2? |:<6 r92DE2:? D2:5 E96 4:EJ :D E2<:?8 @? EH@ 32CC:6CD E@ 6>A=@J>6?E] p ?6H=J 7@F?565 ?@?AC@7:E :D 7@4FD:?8 @? 9@FD:?8 3J AC@G:5:?8 =2?5 2?5 7F?5:?8[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 4:EJ 2=D@ C646?E=J =2?565 2 8C2?E @7 S`fd[___ E@ AFCDF6 2 G2C:6EJ @7 EC2?DA@CE2E:@? :>AC@G6>6?ED[ r92DE2:? D2:5]k^Am
kAm“v@G6C?>6?E :D ?@E E96 D@=FE:@?[ 3FE E96C6 2C6 E9:?8D H6 42? 5@ E@ 92G6 2 A@D:E:G6 :>A24E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmv6@C8:2 r92>36C !C6D:56?E 2?5 rt~ r9C:D r=2C< D2:5 E96 8@@5 ?6HD :D ?@E 2D >2?J J@F?8 A6@A=6 2C6 =62G:?8 CFC2= v6@C8:2 7@C ;@3D :? FC32? 2C62D 2D :? A2DE J62CD] |6>36CD @7 v6?6C2E:@? +[ E96 =2E6DE 4@9@CE E@ 368:? ;@:?:?8 E96 H@C<7@C46[ E6?5 E@ 36 >@C6 C:D< 2G6CD6 E92? E96:C |:==6??:2= 6=56CD 2?5[ E9FD[ =6DD =:<6=J E@ =62G6 9@>6[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“%96C6’D 2 =:89E @FE E96C6[” r=2C< D2:5] “%96D6 H@C<7@C46 :DDF6D H:== 36 36EE6C]”k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Please log in, or sign up for a new, free account to read or post comments.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.