MOULTRIE, Ga. — In a whirlwind day, the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce recently took a lead role in making a deeper connection between local industries, Colquitt County school guidance counselors and high school recruiters from Southern Regional Technical College.

The chamber’s Workforce Committee organized a day-long tour March 20 for a group of 25 people that met with executive teams from 13 local industries.

“We are proud to provide an opportunity to connect local industries with those who work daily with students about their career decisions,” chamber President Tommie Beth Willis said. “We understand the need to continue to grow our local workforce. This tour helped each of us gain more knowledge of local industry needs and the great employment opportunities offered right here in Colquitt County.”

The businesses shared information on internship programs, entry level positions and management training programs along with benefits they offer their employees.

“We are willing to work with and invest in our employees. We are looking for employees who want to work a full 40-hour work week in a production-friendly environment,” said Donnie Edwards, Destiny Industries.

The chamber plans to continue to help foster these and other connections in order to promote the local workforce, according to a chamber press release about the event.

Gino Pedatella with Canfor shared, “There is a great opportunity at Canfor for people to make a good living here locally.”

Pedatella said he is looking forward to “forming an even stronger partnership with the local school system and Southern Regional Technical College.”

The following businesses participated in the 2019 Local Industry Bus Tour: Destiny Industries, Universal Forest Products, Kinetic by Windstream, Robert Hutson’s Ford-Lincoln-Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram, Lasseter Tractor Company, Canfor, Colquitt County Board of Commissioners, City of Moultrie, Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Colquitt EMC, National Beef, Broadleaf Trucking and Bud K Worldwide.