College and career academies serve a dual purpose: They allow students to advance their education and professional development beyond high school curricula and help fill state and local workforce needs by focusing on high-demand careers specific to the regional economy.

With 80% of today’s new jobs requiring career readiness—whether that be through technical education or a traditional, four-year institution, college and career academies (CCAs) offer Georgians access to employment and career readiness at earlier ages. Building a direct access point to the workforce pipeline, CCAs allow students the opportunity to earn both wage rates and college credits as early as the age of 15.

With some 26 counties in South Georgia whose students do not have access to this advanced employment training that aligns the workforce needs of the region with the academic offerings of K-12 institutions in the region, South Georgia and the Greater Valdosta area have a unique opportunity to establish an innovative and flexible learning environment that treats students like adults in preparing them for careers in healthcare, engineering, aerospace, biomedicine, technology, logistics, robotics, artificial intelligence, agriculture/ag technology, and other evolving vocations important to local employers.