The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce launched a video campaign Monday to encourage Gainesville and Hall County students interested in manufacturing to give it a try with work-based learning.
The three minute video will be broadcast in varying capacities, including at school events, on the jumbotron, and in classes, as well as other places. The goal is to get students in work-based learning involved in one of Gainesville-Hall County's many manufacturing industries and strengthen workforce development.
"There's a reason only about 25 percent of kids who enter college finish college, and it's probably that they shouldn't have been there in the first place, and it has absolutely, positively nothing to do with IQ," said Hall County Schools Superintendent Will Schofield at a press conference."It has to do with the fact they didn't get to spend a month at Kubota and say 'this is cool! I could see myself doing this for the rest of my life. This really is something that I could get my arms around.' Then let's create a pathway for you to get there."
Gainesville Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Williams said at the conference our community needs to invest in the youth, applauding the work-based learning coordinators at each high school for the job they do.
"We you think about the relationships they're building with students and when you think about the relationships they're building with the manufacturing processing companies, and all the other businesses we use in our area, that's a lot of work that goes in to it. The challenge is now we have to continue to grow it."
In 2017-2018, 40 students participated in work-based learning at 17 existing industries in Gainesville-Hall County. Some industries featured at the launch included ABB Motors and Mechanical, IMS Gear Georgia, Kipper Tools, Kubota, Performance Food Group, SKF USA and ZF Gainesville.
More details are on the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce website.
