Since the launch of the Governor’s High Demand Career Initiative (HDCI) in January of this year, the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Workforce division has been tasked with coordinating HDCI meetings across the state.

On September 11, 2014, business leaders, the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia and state and local leaders met with Georgia-based healthcare companies to discuss company needs and how to support company growth through developing a better and more equipped workforce.

The meeting took place on the campus of the University of North Georgia in Gainesville.

Six Georgia healthcare businesses gave presentations on company workforce needs. Those businesses were: Healthsouth, Immucor, Dendreon, MedAssets, UCB and Wellcare.

Immucor, a global transfusion and transplantation company that has over half of its U.S. employees stationed in Georgia, explained the need for applications with more hands-on laboratory experience and qualified Medical Technologists and Production Techs.

MedAssets discussed the changes in their healthcare landscape and how this impacts their need for more IT programmers and healthcare clinical workers with education in business development.

During intermissions, the workforce conversation extended beyond the panel discussion. The 80 observers networked with the university and technical college attendees, as well as state and local leaders.

The first HDCI meeting was held in April, 2014 and with only four meetings that remain on the HDCI schedule, the state is getting steps closer in identifying the specific needs of the private sector related to workforce in Georgia.

The next meeting, on Sept. 24 in Carrollton at the University of West Georgia, will focus on the workforce needs of Georgia’s automotive industry.

Read more about Governor’s High Demand Career Initiative or the Workforce Division.