The Georgia Center for Opportunity and Connect to Work GA have entered into a valuable partnership that will link job seekers with rewarding jobs in the Atlanta area.
The Georgia Center for Opportunity’s BETTER WORK program will prepare clients for work, and Connect to Work GA will then introduce them to employers.
This collaboration will help lift job seekers above the poverty line by providing opportunities for successful careers and upward mobility.
The Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) entered into a dynamic partnership with Connect to Work GA in October 2025. Together, the organizations will link participants in GCO’s BETTER WORK program with rewarding jobs in the Atlanta area.
Eric Cochling, GCO’s Chief Program Officer and General Counsel, shared that “GCO is thrilled to partner with Connect to Work GA because it gives our BETTER WORK clients access to the powerful business network of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the expertise of the Connect to Work team.”
Work is a gateway to a better future, and this collaboration will create a clearer path out of poverty and toward opportunity for many job seekers across Georgia.
Connecting Georgians to work and upward mobility
GCO’s BETTER WORK program joins forces with employers and local organizations in Gwinnett County and in the city of Columbus. Through these strong partnerships, GCO connects people with training and support services that can help them find meaningful work.
Connect to Work GA was launched by the Metro Atlanta Chamber in February 2025, with support from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. The Foundation focuses on increasing access to career pathways for Georgians—and particularly for young people—so they can grow and thrive.
In the spirit of the Foundation’s mission, the Chamber strives to advance economic growth around Atlanta, and Connect to Work GA contributes to that goal by bridging the gap between pre-qualified job candidates and employers who want to build their teams.
In the new relationship between GCO and Connect to Work GA, GCO’s BETTER WORK program will prepare clients for work by providing them with resume support, interview coaching, and job readiness training. Connect to Work GA will then link those individuals with employers by matching their skills with staffing needs.
GCO will be a preferred provider of job candidates from Gwinnett County, giving GCO’s BETTER WORK clients a promising opportunity to find rewarding jobs with Metro Atlanta Chamber member companies.
Collaborating to build hope and vibrant communities through work
GCO and Connect to Work GA share the goal of making sure that every Georgian has the chance to experience the sense of dignity, purpose, and potential that comes from a meaningful job and upward mobility. They also aim to help communities across the state benefit from more successful businesses and vibrant local economies.
Together, the organizations will remove barriers to work and open doors to opportunity. In doing so, they will inspire hope and turn poverty into flourishing for many more Georgians, their families, and their communities.
Local job seekers in the Columbus area might beef up their resumes with the launch of a new initiative. Free job skills courses started Aug. 5 with an open house at Victory Mission.
This week, we launched our Jobs for Life program with an inspiring open house, highlighting the life-changing opportunities available to individuals in our community. Through this free program, participants gain critical job skills, build confidence, and set themselves up for long-term success in the workforce.
At Georgia Center for Opportunity’s BETTER WORK Columbus initiative, we believe that investing in people is key to breaking the cycle of poverty and creating lasting change. Our partnership with Jobs for Life ensures that individuals not only receive job training but also the support and mentorship needed to thrive both personally and professionally.
In the news coverage from WTVM, you’ll see how this program is already creating a positive ripple effect in our community. From improving local employment rates to fostering a sense of belonging, Jobs for Life is transforming lives—and it’s just the beginning.
GCO’s BETTER WORK program partners with Jobs for Life to offer community-based job-training classes that help people build the skills, mindset, and confidence to pursue long-term, stable employment.
BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life are a powerful pair because both programs believe that every person has an inherent dignity and value. Together, these programs focus on helping people realize their worth, build purpose-filled lives, and find support and community.
The impact of this partnership shines in the success stories of participants like Quendasia and Tiarra, who found a renewed sense of purpose and vocation through the Jobs for Life class.
Quendasia’s life was changed forever when she was seriously injured in a car crash several years ago. The accident left her with a traumatic brain injury that made returning to work a challenge. She spent five years struggling with unemployment before hearing about the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO)BETTER WORK program—and its partnership with Jobs for Life.
Like many job-seekers, Quendasia discovered BETTER WORK in a moment of crisis or urgent need. And because GCO prioritizes building a network of community resources and employer partners, we were able to help her find support for her immediate needs.
But part of what makes BETTER WORK unique—and effective—is that we help people move from crisis into developing connections and a fresh mindset to pursue long-term, stable work. This is where BETTER WORK andJobs for Life (JFL) came alongside Quendasia to help her envision and pursue a professional path that was so much more than just a paycheck.
This gets to the heartbeat of GCO—to remove barriers to opportunity and foster thriving communities in which everyone can achieve their fullest potential. Work is a key piece of the puzzle—not only because it unlocks economic mobility, but also because it empowers people to find fulfillment in a sense of personal and collective purpose, structured routines, and relationships that lead to belonging and support.
Together, BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life empower people to see that they have a valuable place in their communities and can make unique contributions through work.
Together, BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life empower people to see that they have a valuable place in their communities and can make unique contributions through work.
Back in 2022, we recognized that the focus of our BETTER WORK initiative strongly aligned with the vision and values of Jobs for Life, a network of job-training groups available through churches and nonprofit organizations that break down barriers to work. Originally launched in 1996 in Raleigh, North Carolina, JFL is now available in more than 300 cities nationwide.
This shared vision led to a collaboration with the power to transform the lives of individuals, families, and whole communities.
In Columbus, which is home to one of our BETTER WORK chapters, we partner with Jobs for Life to offer an 11-week course that pairs participants with a one-on-one mentor. JFL’s curriculum has the benefit of incorporating essential skill training and behavioral development into its model. Each class provides two hours of instruction in soft skills, discussions on the importance of work in daily life, and exercises in character development.
Back to Quendasia’s story.
Prior to coming to Jobs for Life, she had a GED and she was planning to go to college. Through JFL, she honed practical and essential work skills—like how to interact with others and show up on time. These details seem small, but they are often the tools people need most to capably and confidently pursue meaningful work and realize their inherent personal value.
“Jobs for Life got my mind back on track for working. I met different people and learned different skills,” Quendasia shared. “Before Jobs for Life, I didn’t feel confident enough to get a job. I didn’t really believe in myself. But now I know I can do it.”
BETTER WORK’s Jobs for Life class in Columbus, GA, introduces participants to community resources and champions that offer support on their journeys to pursuing long-term, meaningful work.
The discovery of personal potential and worth is at the heart of BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life. Both programs share the core belief that everyone has an inherent, God-given dignity worthy of recognition and respect. Through their shared focus on relational support, human connections, and community, BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life empower people to see that they have a valuable place in their communities and can make unique contributions through work.
Today, Quendasia works at Piedmont Healthcare—an opportunity she never would have had without the support and networking she found through JFL.
The BETTER WORK partnership with Jobs for Life allows GCO to leverage our existing network of employers, community leaders, and resource providers to make JFL classes even more successful for the local churches and organizations that choose to host and sponsor the training in a BETTER WORK community.
Take one more example. Recently, Tiarra connected with BETTER WORK through our partnership with the Jobs for Life program. She was looking for new opportunities at a job fair after losing her job.
“The class pushed me even further,” Tiarra said. “I wouldn’t have ever found my mentor or the job I’m in right now. I love all the teachers. Every lesson was a blessing,”
Today, Tiarra is at Troy University online school working toward a bachelor’s degree in social work. “I used to live in fear, and now I embrace challenges and try to work through them instead of shying away from them,” she added.
Across the nation, the need for programs like BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life is significant:According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of February 2024, nearly 6.5 million Americans were unemployed, 22 million were underemployed, and 80% of workers were disengaged.
These numbers can seem overwhelming and even impossible to change. But that only becomes true when we forget that the biggest differences start close to home.
When it comes to empowering vibrant communities and upward mobility, the most important place to start is at the community level. That’s what BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life are built for. Quendasia and Tiarra’s stories are testimonies to the good that can come when mission-aligned programs like BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life work together to build hope and opportunities in the places where people need them most—in the communities where everyday lives are lived.
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.
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.
Key Points
BETTER WORK Gwinnett and The Water Tower are partnering to expand water industry job training to high school students and young adults.
The water industry will need to fill 1200 positions over the next five years.
Without skilled water workers our community infrastructures will suffer.
BETTER WORK Gwinnett and The Water Tower are joining forces. The Water Tower is a nonprofit organization “bringing together the public and private sectors of the water industry, side by side with academia and nonprofits, to tackle the industry’s greatest challenges.”
The next five years are crucial for the water industry as they expect 1200 water-related jobs opening in North Georgia. This generates the need to recruit, train, and vary operations to be most effective for the communities served.
A career in the water industry transcends pandemics and technology because it is a needed resource no matter what happens around us. 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.
The training course was designed for those in high school work programs, and those who may be already working but looking to expand their knowledge and create a career path in order to provide for themselves and their families.
Without skilled water laborers, many of the structures, products, and systems that are central to our daily lives would simply not exist. 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.
From protecting our precious water resources to providing clean and safe drinking water to communities, a career in this field is both fulfilling and impactful.
From protecting our precious water resources to providing clean and safe drinking water to communities, a career in this field is both fulfilling and impactful.
The water industry is a critical component of any healthy and thriving society, and the contributions of skilled laborers are truly invaluable. Careers in this field offer availability in many locations around the state, plus flexible hours to give workers the opportunity to create work-life balance.
To learn more about The Water Tower and the training programs offered, contact our BETTER WORK Gwinnett team.
From protecting our precious water resources to providing clean and safe drinking water to communities, a career in this field is both fulfilling and impactful.
Key Points
North Georgia Works is a vocational, residential, transitional work program for currently homeless men or men who were recently incarcerated.
Guys who are homeless are homeless for mainly three major reasons: They have a pretty intensive criminal history that prevented them from getting a job, they have mental health disabilities, or they have addiction issues.
How to handle relationships and how to handle family, how to build relationships, and how to identify good people to have relationships with are skills which will determine success for program graduates.
Recently, the Georgia Center for Opportunity’s family team partnered with North Georgia Works to offer our relationship training curriculum. In this interview, we sat down with Michael Giddens, executive director of North Georgia Works, to hear more about his organization, the good work being done in the community, and how GCO is helping to advance their mission.
Q: Please introduce us to North Georgia Works. What’s your mission, history, and focus?
North Georgia Works is a vocational, residential, transitional work program for currently homeless men or men who were recently incarcerated. We were modeled after an organization in downtown Atlanta called Georgia Works.
North Georgia Works is a social enterprise. We have created a system that allows us to run a nonprofit staffing agency. So that allows us to approach companies in the area about getting our guys work and working with them for a year while they’re living in our buildings, getting life skills and other financial help and other issues taken care of.
Our guys are working the whole time, earning a little bit of money while they’re in the building. Then, when they graduate from the program, they already have been in the company for years, they’ve been able to save a lot of money. Plus, we’re able to help them get an apartment and a home.
Q: Please give us a rundown of who your typical client is.
Guys who are homeless are homeless for mainly three major reasons: They have a pretty intensive criminal history that prevented them from getting a job, they have mental health disabilities, or they have addiction issues.
So, everybody who comes into our building has one of those three. Or they are guys that have gotten into some trouble — they’ve been chronically arrested. We work with judges and other law enforcement agencies to serve the guys that are leaving jail. They’ll be court-ordered, most of the time, into our programs and be released to us. So they come to us from jail or they’re just about to get released from jail. Then they have to come to our program.
“I’m hoping to do with you guys is really help them start rebuilding those relationships, giving them the tools as they especially walk the 12 steps and they’re ready to start making amends. We can re-enter them into those relationships again and see if we can start rebuilding that and let them leave on a better foot.”
“I’m hoping to do with you guys is really help them start rebuilding those relationships, giving them the tools as they especially walk the 12 steps and they’re ready to start making amends. We can re-enter them into those relationships again and see if we can start rebuilding that and let them leave on a better foot.”
Q: What does your partnership with GCO look like?
Anybody who’s in a situation that will require a program like ours has enormous barriers. One of the biggest barriers they have is they have burned all bridges with their family. Most of the time, they have kids that they can’t see or they have spouses who have divorced them or parents who have finally given up on them.
Earlier this year, we noticed that a lot of our graduates were still having problems. It was all based on the fact that we had not taught them how to handle relationships and how to handle family, how to build those relationships, how to identify good people to have relationships with. It seems like a complete backdoor problem that our program wasn’t answering that was causing it to undermine everything that we did.
We decided we had to focus heavily on relationships. We started doing that. But that really wasn’t our expertise. Our expertise is jobs, vocational training, and addiction and recovery. We needed help.
When I met Joyce Mayberry, vice president of family at GCO, she told me about everything your organization does. I immediately knew there was a great opportunity to have your team come in and teach these elements on relationships. Your programming, your curriculum, your expertise has all been amazing.
Q: What was the first class like?
It was a resounding success. We’ve had multiple guys in our program that have re-evaluated current relationships they’re in based on that class. That’s one side of it. The other is that we want to restore their family relationships, relationships with kids, relationships with parents and brothers and sisters, and all those bridges that have all been burned.
Q: Can you share some of your outcomes?
There are two paths. The first path is we want to help our guys from getting into bad relationships. It’s like the GCO program “How to Avoid Dating a Jerk or Jerkette” — when I saw the name of that book, I knew that was the right avenue.
The second step is that every guy who comes into our building has had a kid that is not in their life. If they don’t have one it’s probably a blessing. So they have a kid out in the wild, that is being raised without a father. They themselves have the guilt and the issues of not being a father. They have baby mamas or ex-wives or whatever that they have kind of ruined, for obvious reasons, have kind of blocked out of their lives. They also have parents and brothers and siblings. They’re also kind of taking advantage of through the years.
So phase two, what I’m hoping to do with you guys is really help them start rebuilding those relationships, giving them the tools as they especially walk the 12 steps and they’re ready to start making amends. We can re-enter them into those relationships again and see if we can start rebuilding that and let them leave on a better foot.
Key Points
First graduating class of Jobs for Life and BETTER WORK Columbus partnership
Jobs for Life and BETTER WORK are joining forces to get help lift people out of poverty
On July 7th the first group 11 men and women graduated from the Better Work Jobs for Life class at the Asbury UMC training site. This course was the first of its kind in partnership between Jobs for Life and BETTER WORK Columbus.The goal was to give men and women a stronger foundation in life skills so they can go on to be reliable employees for local businesses.
“The Jobs for Life job-readiness training course helps men and women understand their dignity and God-given identity and gifts, develop character, and foster a supportive community that will equip them for work, life, and their overall goals. This method, combined with soft skills training, has proven to enable unemployed and underemployed men and women to find and keep meaningful employment.”
The Columbus community came together to support this group of students overcome their circumstances, and we are excited to see this partnership become a staple of the BETTER WORK program.
A Partner For Life
Several of the Chattahoochee Valley Poverty Reduction Coalition (CVPRC) member organizations attended the May 26th Jobs for Life class to share information on resources and talk with students about overcoming the roadblocks they face. Some of the potential roadblocks discussed included mental and emotional health, childcare challenges, and needed education and training. This Community Resource panel was able to help students understand the steps they must take to overcome these challenges and others.
Responding to the needs in a community is paramount to our success.
Learn how our community partners stepped up to support the needs in Columbus through area-businesses.
Our entire Jobs for Life team and students appreciate you!
Job for Life classes are successful because of our community partners and volunteers. If you are interested in learning more about these classes and getting involved, visit our website at https://betteropportunity.org/jobs-for-life/
A focus on the contributions of the African American family
BETTER WORK Columbus delivers Marketing Yourself training to clients of our non-profit partners upon request. This training gives students insight into the perspective of an employer and what matters to them during the hiring process. They leave this training more hopeful and with a new understanding of steps they can take to communicate well when they are looking for work. If you have clients who are preparing to look for better work opportunities in the Columbus area, they will benefit from this training. Send an email to kristin.barker@georgiaopportunity.orgto schedule a training for your organization.
Barbara Moushon, Circles Coordinator at Open Door Community House shares below why this program is helpful to Circles Leaders in training.
“We are very grateful for the Marketing Yourself training brought to our Circles Group here at Open Door Community House. Our group was very engaged with this presentation and they appreciated the information Kristin and Inez shared. They are still talking about this training. The topic of ‘What Employers Want’ explained to our group why it is so important to stop and really reflect when preparing for an interview. This information explained that the interviewee needs to analyze why an employer would want to select them. The concept of knowing themselves and what they really want before going into an interview was a powerful message. Our clients understood that they need to spend a little time in self-reflection prior to seeking a job.” –Barbara Moushon
