Business and Education interests need to work together in order to produce a highly skilled and competitive workforce that meets the needs of the community. The Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) and Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools are partnering to do that in our community with the development of an Economic Development for Educators course.

Each year, a group of twenty-five SCCPSS staff members - comprised of teachers, principals, assistant principals, counselors, and other district staff – have the opportunity to engage in a three-day course to learn more about current local economic drivers from SEDA.  The knowledge they gain allows them to strengthen and grow the relationships between SCCPSS and local employers with the goal of opening lines of communication and laying the groundwork for meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships.   

The course also helps to showcase some lesser known and unique employers, occupations, and industries in our area, which expands knowledge of the local economy. In addition to that valuable knowledge, the Economic Development for Educators Course provides experiential learning that allows educators to better understand their role in economic development and the opportunities available for students who work for local employers.

This, in turn, can improve the local workforce pipeline by ensuring that those who have direct access to students (principals, teachers, counselors, etc.) understand the needs of employers and the opportunities available for students before and after graduation.  Course participants are expected to share this valuable information with their students and peers throughout the district.

The 3-day course is delivered during the academic school year and participants are chosen by SCCPSS leadership.