The Georgia Mountains Council of Chief Elected Officials designated the GMRC the grant recipient and fiscal entity for the region's workforce development program on August 5. The Commission assumed these roles from the Georgia Department of Labor on Saturday.
The Georgia Mountains Workforce Investment Area is one of 20 in Georgia, eight of which are currently administered by Regional Commissions chosen by their respective chief elected officials to administer WIA programs. Regional Commissions, by state law, serve all counties within local workforce areas in Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White counties.
"Our region and state are experiencing economic challenges and unprecedented levels of unemployment, making the services and programs offered through the Workforce Investment Act most critical," said Danny Lewis, the commission's executive director. "The Georgia Mountains Regional Commission will address these important problems by offering quality youth, adult and dislocated worker training in all 13 counties."
GMRC Executive Director Danny Lewis
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/10/242437