Several Savannah business and military leaders -- including Col. Jason Wolter, Garrison Commander, Ft. Stewart; Mike Tucker, director, Coastal Workforce Board; Brad Patterson, HR manager, Comcast; and a recently-transitioned service member from Ft. Stewart/HAAF -- will address Georgia Tech-Savannah’s “Learners and Leaders” series on Thursday, October 19, at 7:30 a.m. Moderated by Dr. James Wilburn, military programs director at Georgia Tech Professional Education, the panel will discuss regional workforce initiatives, transition trends and skillsets of those transitioning from Ft. Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, specifically VET2 (Veterans Education Training & Transition) at Georgia Tech-Savannah. This program, which was originally planned for September, was re-scheduled due to Hurricane Irma.
 
“Over the next three years, as many as 60,000 military members are expected to return to Georgia. More than 10,000 service members will be transitioning from the state’s army installations, 4,000 from Ft. Stewart alone,” said Diane Lee, director of Georgia Tech-Savannah. “If we’re lucky, these veterans will continue to live and work in Georgia and contribute to the area’s economic viability. This session will explore ways to integrate veterans into the local civilian workforce.”
 
Participants will learn about the challenges service members face when transitioning to the civilian workforce and increase their familiarity with the resources provided by the state of Georgia to assist in alleviating these challenges, including VET2, a fully-funded program with no costs for service members.
 
The talk, which will include remarks followed by an interactive discussion, will take place on the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus at 210 Technology Circle. Breakfast and networking will begin at 7:30 a.m.; the program will run 8-9:30 a.m. Cost, including breakfast, is $15.
 
Georgia Tech-Savannah’s Learners and Leaders series is an effort launched in 2014 to help companies in the coastal region stay current. To date, members of the coastal community have heard speakers on topics of relevance to the business community, including mobile apps, coaching and mentoring, leadership and logistics. To register or learn more about upcoming programs, go to pe.gatech.edu/Sav-Learners or email [email protected] for details.