Navigating the current economic crisis: A guide to surviving the job market

by David Bass | Apr 17, 2023

Navigating the current economic crisis: A guide to surviving the job market

Key Points

As of March 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a nationwide unemployment rate of 3.5%.
Well-known companies are conducting large-scale layoffs—in some cases, laying off tens of thousands of employees.
The BETTER WORK program can help you take the next steps in your career to secure a better job, whether you’ve been laid off or you’re simply looking to move to the next level.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the global economy, leading towidespread job losses and an uncertain future for many workers. As we continue tonavigate the economic crisis, it is important to understand the current state of the jobmarket in Georgia and strategies for finding and securing employment.

Times may be turbulent, but with the right mix of strategy, action, and support, it’s possible to find and keep gainful employment.

The state of the job market

The current economic crisis has impacted the job market in a number of ways, causing several industries to contract. Layoffs have been widespread across multiple markets. As of March 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a nationwide unemployment rate of 3.5%. But with many companies announcing widespread layoffs, that number could potentially increase in the coming months.

Since January 2023, the tech industry has been hit hard by layoffs in a number of companies. The impact extended to household-name brands such as Meta, Google, Microsoft, Zoom, Netflix, Salesforce, and many others. Beyond tech, other well-known companies are conducting large-scale layoffs—in some cases, laying off tens of thousands of employees. Disney just announced 7,000 coming layoffs, while Amazon is cutting 9,000 more jobs in addition to the 18,000 jobs it cut in early 2023. Companies such as Goldman Sachs, H&M, Walmart, McDonald’s, Tyson Foods, NPR, and many others are also letting staffers go, in some cases by the thousands.

Ultimately, white-collar workers are most likely to face layoffs as the impending recession looms. Most blue-collar jobs are still hiring, though, so workers in those sectors may fare better.

Strategies for finding employment

Having a support system to come alongside you and help with your job search is invaluable. The BETTER WORK program can help you take the next steps in your career to secure a better job, whether you’ve been laid off or you’re simply looking to move to the next level. If you’re in the Gwinnett or Columbus areas, we’re ready to help! Learn more about BETTER WORK here.

Regardless of whether you face layoffs or not, it’s important to get prepared for the possibility of a job hunt. It’s far better to update your resume and refresh your network connections now, rather than waiting until it’s too late. Here are a few things you can do to boost your chances for landing new employment, should the need arise.

1. Assess your skills and experience: What skills and experience have you acquired over the years? What about transferable skills? Make an exhaustive list of your professional experience and transferable skills up to this point. After that, consider listing out what skills you might like to acquire in the future.

2. Identify in-demand jobs and industries: If you need to launch a job search, you’ll want to start with industries that are actively hiring. You can research specific industries on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, but it’s also useful to check the pulse of the market by running searches on Google and staying up to speed on LinkedIn.

3. Network and leverage personal connections: It’s always important to meet new professional connections and keep in touch with existing ones, but now it’s more important than ever. Reconnect with professional connections and leverage your network to find new opportunities you might not come across otherwise. If you don’t yet have an account on LinkedIn, go ahead and get set up there, too. It’s a great place to showcase your skills, follow companies you’re interested in, apply for jobs, and keep in touch with professional peers.

4. Utilize online job boards and resources: There are plenty of fantastic resources online that you can use to find and apply for great jobs. Sites like CareerBuilder, Monster, Remote.co, Indeed, and FlexJobs are useful for finding strong opportunities. You can also apply directly to jobs you’re interested in through company websites.

“Having a support system to come alongside you and help with your job search is invaluable.”

Moving forward in the job market

Regardless of whether you’re currently job searching or preparing to do so in the future, it’s important to understand how to move forward in the job market. It’s also important to note that, according to Atta Tarki’s report in the Harvard Business Review, it’s “still a workers’ labor market.” That means, for many job seekers, the power is still in your hands.

Don’t lose heart if you find yourself searching for new work in the near future. Embrace new opportunities and industries, cultivate and identify transferable skills, and get ready to pivot quickly if needed. Stay flexible and adaptable to changing market conditions, and plan for the future. When you remain open to new possibilities, you’ll have that much more control over your career trajectory.

Why parental involvement is key to a child’s health

by David Bass | Apr 12, 2023

Why parental involvement is key to a child’s health

Key Points

Parental involvement makes a big difference in children’s development.
Students with involved parents have better attendance and behavior, get better grades, demonstrate better social skills and adapt better to school.
Parents need access to tools, which is why we are launching Raising Highly Capable Kids (RHCK) to assist parents in the daily efforts of child-rearing and to increase childhood resilience and academic achievement.

“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day,” said chemist and author O.A. Battista.

This simple statement communicates a powerful truth about the welfare of children—that parental involvement makes a world of difference. We tend to know this instinctively, but it’s good to be reminded from time to time. And it’s crucial to learn new ways to give parents the tools they need to succeed with parenting their kids.

“As a community leader and family life educator, I work with families often,” says Joyce Mayberry, vice president of family for the Georgia Center for Opportunity. “With all of those interactions, you begin to notice consistencies. One that I notice across all demographics is that the youth who have parents involved in their lives are successful in almost every aspect.”

Why parental involvement matters

With that being said, it’s necessary to define what “parent involvement” actually means. The National Parent Teacher Association defines “parent involvement” as the participation of parents in every facet of children’s education and development, from birth to adulthood, recognizing that parents are the primary influence in children’s lives.

Studies have shown that parent involvement has a significant impact on a child’s academic success, behavior, and overall well-being. According to the National PTA, when parents are involved, their children are more likely to:

- Earn higher grades and test scores
- Have better attendance
- Be more motivated and engaged in school
- Have fewer behavioral issues
- Graduate high school and attend college

The Annie E. Casey Foundation concludes that students “whose parents stay involved in school have better attendance and behavior, get better grades, demonstrate better social skills and adapt better to school.”

In addition, parent involvement has been linked to better communication and relationships between parents and children.

“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day,” said chemist and author O.A. Battista.

Fostering better parental involvement in Georgia

We can all agree that there are several factors that contribute to ensuring that our children present their best selves. We at Georgia Center for Opportunity have launched a new parenting program called Raising Highly Capable Kids.

Raising Highly Capable Kids (RHCK) is a 13-week evidence-based parenting program developed to build stronger families by empowering parents with the confidence, tools, and skills they need to raise healthy, caring, and responsible children.

The program increases parents’ knowledge and skill level of the essential building blocks every child needs—the 40 Developmental Assets from Search Institute, which are proven to increase childhood resilience and academic achievement.

The lessons are available to schools, nonprofits, churches, and other organizations focused on helping to build stronger families for Georgia — and ultimately stronger communities.

GCO is facilitating course offerings for interested parents who want to learn more effective skills and strategies as they raise their children.

What’s next?

We’re still looking for partners across Georgia to bring the RHCK program to parents. We are starting an interest list for local partners who could hold a class and for adults who might be interested in taking it.

If you are interested in referring contacts or getting involved in other ways, contact Joyce Mayberry, JoyceM@foropportunity.org, to start the conversation.

Education successes from the 2023 Georgia legislative session

by David Bass | Apr 11, 2023

Education successes from the 2023 Georgia legislative session

We have much to celebrate as the 2023 Georgia legislative session comes to a close. At the same time, there is still much work to be done. That’s what this blog post is all about. First, we’ll take a look at recent victories in the area of education during the session. Then, we’ll talk about the road ahead—what still needs to be accomplished for the good of Georgia’s schoolchildren and families.

The Georgia Center for Opportunity team serves as an important source of information to lawmakers on the impact new laws can have on communities around Georgia, particularly the poor and underrepresented.

School literacy bills

A bright spot in the 2023 legislative session was the passage of two literacy bills that will improve reading and writing skills among Georgia’s kids. According to the Georgia Department of Education, only 64% of Georgia’s third-graders read at or above grade level. These bills will pave the way for our children to enjoy greater literacy, which will impact their educational and professional future.

Here is more about the two bills:

House Bill 538: The Georgia Early Literacy Act requires the state Board of Education to “approve high-quality instructional materials to be used for teaching students in kindergarten through third grade.” This will give Georgia an opportunity to raise the bar on literacy education for public school students in every community.

Senate Bill 211: This legislation establishes the Georgia Council on Literacy. The Council will work with local school systems to develop a five-year plan to improve reading and writing among Georgia’s students. Coupled with state-approved instructional materials, we have renewed hope for seeing significant improvements in literacy over the next few years.

School safety

The next bill passage regards school safety, which is always an incredibly important topic, but which has received heightened attention in recent months. Here’s a look at the coming changes.

- House Bill 147: The Safe Schools Act requires local school districts to develop safety plans and submit those plans to the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS). Because of the heightened threats on schools these days, having districts work with the experts at GEMA/HS will increase the safety of our children.

It’s important to act quickly, and act together, for the benefit of our kids.

School accreditation

Finally, let’s go over the school accreditation bill that passed during this year’s session.

- Senate Bill 204: This legislation puts parameters on what K-12 school accreditation organizations can consider when they evaluate school districts. The bill is designed to address concerns that these organizations were limiting local elected school boards’ important discussions and debates.

Bad news from the 2023 Georgia legislative session

Now for the bad news. Despite passing in the Senate and making significant gains in the House, the Promise Scholarship bill (SB 233) didn’t get enough votes to pass on the last day of session. This delay has forced 500,000+ kids in failing public schools to wait yet another year for this critical education option.

Georgia’s General Assembly missed opportunities to adopt three other good education reforms. We’ll address each, but first, we’ll cover what happened to SB 233.

What happened to promise scholarships?

The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, SB 233, would have given parents $6,500 per year, per student to find the right education options for their kids. This would have opened up many non-traditional options, including private school, for families who want alternatives to the public school route. Eligibility would have been narrowed to around 400,000 kids stuck in the bottom 25% of public schools, based on the Georgia Department of Education’s evaluation.

- The Promise Scholarship bill passed the Senate with unanimous support from Republican senators but, sadly, received no support from Democratic senators. It went all the way to the House of Representatives for a vote. The fact that the bill made it that far in the legislative process is good news.

- On the last day of session, SB 233 received 85 votes in the House—six votes short of the 91 needed for passage. Sixteen Republican representatives voted against the bill. All but one Democratic representative voted against SB 233: the brave Rep. Mesha Mainor (Atlanta), who voted for the bill on behalf of her constituents’ interests.

- Thankfully, SB 233 is still on the table for the 2024 legislative session. In the meantime, Georgia students stuck in underperforming schools will be forced to wait another year for this education option to be considered.

The ugly: Public school transfers, charter school management, and tax credit scholarships

As promised, let’s look at three other important opportunities the Georgia Legislature missed during the 2023 session. None of the following bills gained the traction they needed, depriving Georgia families and children of important or increased educational opportunities for at least one more year.

- Senate Bill 147 would have allowed students to transfer to attend better public schools, even if it was in a different school district. Other states like Arizona, Florida, and Indiana have seen success with similar laws. The bill never gained any traction, but can be considered again next year.
- House Bill 318 would have streamlined the oversight of state- and locally-authorized charter schools. The bill passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support, but late amendments to the bill delayed the process. The Legislature adjourned for the session without the opportunity to agree to the Senate changes.

- House Bill 54 would have increased the cap on Georgia’s Tax Credit Scholarship program from $120 million to $130 million. After going through changes in the House, the bill passed that chamber and moved on to the Senate. In a raucous Senate Committee meeting, the Tax Credit Scholarship portion of the bill was amended several times with unfriendly amendments, and ultimately, the bill died. Fortunately, the program is still operating under the existing cap of $120 million, giving Student Scholarship Organizations the opportunity to continue serving many Georgia students.

Looking toward 2024

While Georgia made important strides forward in school literacy, safety, and accreditation for 2023, there’s still much to be desired when it comes to opportunities for students and their families. It’s our mission to continue championing the value of bills like SB 233. Putting school funding into the hands of parents who wish to depart from the state’s status quo only makes sense; families’ tax dollars should support whatever educational path they choose.

Likewise, school choice and tax credit scholarships should be open to a wider demographic of families statewide. It’s important to act quickly, and act together, for the benefit of our kids. As we look forward to the next legislative session, we’ll do everything we can to champion positive change.

Lyft and BETTER WORK Unite

by Kimberly Sawatka | Apr 10, 2023

Lyft and BETTER WORK Unite

Key Points

Transportation is a barrier for some when it comes to maintaining employment.
Lyft saw a need in the community and stepped in to fill the gap.
Lyft’s free rides have assisted BETTER WORK participants and given them time to make a plan.

“You’re hired!” Those two words can completely change someone’s life. But for someone who doesn’t have transportation, those two words can be heartbreaking.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lyft recognized widespread job loss created significant transportation needs for many, so they responded by partnering with nonprofit organizations across the United States to give away free rides to those in need. The company has pledged to provide 60 million free rides to help people get to vaccination appointments, job interviews, and other important destinations. The program is also aimed at reducing social isolation and improving quality of life for those in need.

The initiative is aimed specifically at addressing the transportation barriers faced by low-income individuals, seniors, and people with disabilities. As we know, lack of access to transportation is a major barrier to economic and social mobility. Many people are unable to access basic services such as healthcare, education, and employment due to transportation issues.

And, in case you aren’t familiar with Lyft, it is a ride-sharing company that has made a name for itself in the transportation industry by providing rides to people all over the world.

Lyft and BETTER WORK work together

Lyft’s community project is focused on giving back to those in need by providing them with free rides. The company has partnered with various non-profit organizations—including United Way, National Urban League, and Goodwill—to identify individuals who are most in need of free rides. It’s through BETTER WORK’S close partnership with United Way we are able to directly access Lyft’s free ride initiative for BETTER WORK participants to utilize the service to attend job interviews and two weeks worth of transportation to and from work. (The idea is to allow participants the opportunity to receive a first paycheck and work out a transportation plan.)

The project has been met with widespread praise from both the public and nonprofit organizations. Many people have expressed their gratitude for the free rides, which have allowed them to access essential services and maintain their livelihoods during this challenging time.

A current BETTER WORK participant has utilized the codes to help supplement his unreliable transportation to and from work. This has allowed him to take a position learning a new trade, but also save for his own transportation and create a plan for the future.

The Georgia Center for Opportunity believes in the dignity and purpose that work can bring to those in our community.

Why this partnership is making a difference

One of the greatest attributes of the BETTER WORK program is that it looks at the whole person and identifies hurdles keeping people from taking advantage of opportunities to become self-sufficient. It’s our goal to help our neighbors understand the community programs and resources available, so they can make the best choices for themselves and move forward.

One of the key benefits of the Lyft project is that it helps to bridge the transportation gap that exists in many communities like Columbus. People who do not have access to reliable transportation often struggle to access essential services, which can perpetuate cycles of poverty and disadvantage. By providing free rides, Lyft is helping to break down these barriers and provide a lifeline to those in need.

The project is also an example of how the private sector can play a role in addressing social issues. Lyft has recognized the need in the community and has responded by leveraging its resources to make a positive impact. This is a great example of how companies can use their power for good and make a real difference in people’s lives.

Georgia is poised to expand workforce opportunity

by Buzz Brockway | Apr 5, 2023

Georgia is poised to expand workforce opportunity

Key Points

Georgia General Assembly, lawmakers unanimously approved House Bill 155, which creates a pathway for thousands of Georgians who might face roadblocks to getting an occupational license to smooth the path for doing so, provided they held a license
One in four workers now need some type of occupational license
H.B. 155 will help to keep our economy prosperous

As our nation continues to face a shortage of skilled and qualified workers in a variety of occupations, it’s important that state policy work to reduce as many barriers as possible to employment. Unfortunately, frequently one of those barriers is occupational licensing, which in many cases tosses up roadblocks that don’t make sense but keep good workers from entering the labor force.

Thankfully, Georgia could soon be taking a step in the right direction on this issue. In the recently concluded session of the Georgia General Assembly, lawmakers unanimously approved House Bill 155, which creates a pathway for thousands of Georgians who might face roadblocks to getting an occupational license to smooth the path for doing so, provided they held a license in good standing in their previous state of residence. By providing these licenses immediately, these new Georgia residents will be able to quickly get a job.

Georgia is still one of the fastest growing states in the country. Estimates show that over 81,000 people moved to our state in 2022—a 1.2% increase in our population. There is no indication this type of growth will slow down any time soon. Additionally, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, one in four workers now need some type of occupational license. For these reasons, H.B. 155 will help Georgia maintain its status as the nation’s best state in which to do business.

A recent study by Heather Curry and Dr. Vance Ginn looked at the positive impacts of Arizona’s “universal recognition bill – House Bill 2569 passed in 2019. Their study showed that since 2019, 6,500 people benefitted from Arizona’s universal recognition policies. While H.B. 155 is not universal—firefighters, law enforcement, medical and legal professionals are excluded—most licensed occupations are included, so we could expect thousands of new Georgians each year benefitting from the passage of this legislation.

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Reforms to occupational licensing are a key piece of the puzzle to help reinvigorate our workforce. The changes will ultimately help the individuals we are helping through BETTER WORK in Gwinnett County and Columbus—individuals who need training, wrap-around services, and opportunities for easy on-ramps into the workforce. Many of the professions that have unfair occupational licensing practices fall into this category.

The bottom line is that by allowing these Georgians to quickly get to work, H.B. 155 will help to keep our economy prosperous and our families strong. The bill currently sits on Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk, awaiting his signature.

BETTER WORK has resources for high school students

by Kimberly Sawatka | Mar 28, 2023

BETTER WORK has resources for high school students

Key Points

Not every high school graduate will attend college. There are strong career paths available for those who are ready to learn.
Jobs in the water industry are plentiful.
In addition to excellent pay and stability, careers in the water field offer availability in many locations around the state plus flexible hours to give workers the opportunity to create work-life balance.

There’s a new, exciting opportunity for job seekers and high school students in Gwinnett County! BETTER WORK Gwinnett and The Water Tower have partnered to bring a life-changing job training program to the Gwinnett County community. This training program for careers in the water industry was designed for those in high school work programs and for working age adults looking for a career path to better provide for themselves and their families.

Not every high school student needs nor wants to attend college. High schoolers can begin this training program as part of their curriculum and graduate with on-the-job training as well as highly sought after certifications.

For those looking for a new or different career, the water industry might be an area you haven’t yet considered. You might want to check out this option, though.

Job opportunities in the water industry are plentiful, as the industry expects some 1,200 water-related jobs opening in north Georgia. To help fill the workforce needs, The Water Tower created training programs in the areas of Water and Wastewater Operators, Lab Analyst, Maintenance Technicians, and Field Technicians. The programs allow participants to receive the education and hands-on experience needed to walk into a living-wage career and not just a job.

At GCO, we know that work means so much more than a paycheck. A meaningful job and career brings dignity, independence, and hope for a brighter future.

A career in the water industry transcends pandemics and technology because it is a needed resource no matter what happens around us. Furthermore, careers in the water industry offer stability, competitive wages, and opportunities for advancement, making them an important pathway to a fulfilling and prosperous life.

In addition to excellent pay and stability, careers in the water field offer availability in many locations around the state plus flexible hours to give workers the opportunity to create work-life balance.

At GCO, we know that work means so much more than a paycheck. A meaningful job and career brings dignity, independence, and hope for a brighter future. Employment can change a life and the life of a family.

To learn more about The Water Tower and the training programs offered, contact our BETTER WORK Gwinnett team.