Georgia Chamber statement on House Higher Education Subcommittee

Atlanta, Georgia – May 16, 2022 – The Georgia Chamber commends House Speaker David Ralston (R–Blue Ridge) and House Higher Education Chairman Chuck Martin (R–Alpharetta) for taking bold steps to address the labor crisis that is facing businesses in Georgia and nationwide. “As the Georgia Chamber team travels the state meeting with businesses of all sizes, we consistently hear one message: we need workers,” said Chris Clark, President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber. “Regardless of size, industry sector, or the customers they serve, it is clear the number one challenge to the business community for economic mobility and growth is access to a qualified, skilled workforce. From major manufacturers like KIA to small contractors and engineering firms, access to workers is critical to economic success. We commend Speaker Ralston, Chairman Martin, and all appointees to the special subcommittee for taking bold steps to address this crisis, and we look forward to engaging with and supporting these efforts in the months ahead.”  In January of 2022, the Georgia Chamber’s industry-leading report, Winning the War for Talent, outlined the many workforce challenges facing businesses in Georgia. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, America has created over 6.4 million new jobs, but there are 3.9 million fewer workers in the workforce since 2019. Additionally, by 2030, there will be 75 million retired Baby Boomers in the United States. In looking at current workforce shortages by just a handful of industry sectors, Georgia needs 122,000 new healthcare workers, 27,000 manufacturing employees, 13,000 construction professionals, and 2,250 logistics workers.

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