SHELLMAN — Rep. Gerald Greene announced the $150,000 investment in work force training at Peerless Manufacturing in Shellman on Monday.
Greene was instrumental in securing the grant, the first of its kind in the Georgia Grow Your Own Workforce program. GROWS was launched to encourage small businesses in the private sector to develop apprenticeship and training programs.
“The Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, located at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (in Tifton), is pleased to announce a grant in the amount of $150,000 to the Randolph County Development Authority,” David Bridges, the director for Georgia’s Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, said. “The grant is a joint effort between the Center and the Randolph County Development Authority that will provide new equipment and support in-house work force training for new and existing employees to increase production at Peerless Manufacturing in Shellman.”
“Work force training and development is critical to ensuring a deep talent pool and steady job pipeline in rural Georgia,” Greene said. “The establishment of this program, and Shellman as its first recipient, speaks volumes about the importance of manufacturing as well as jobs in Randolph County. I’ll continue fighting to ensure our communities and workers are represented in every industry now and for years to come.”
Greene was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1982 and is currently serving his 36th year as representative of House District 151, which includes all or portions of Calhoun, Clay, Early, Quitman, Randolph, Stewart, Terrell, Webster and Dougherty counties. He taught in the Randolph-Clay School System for 32 years and was named STAR Teacher of Randolph-Clay System in 1977 and 1993 and Teacher of the Year for the school system in 1991.
Greene is chairman of the State Properties Committee and a member of the Appropriations, Economic Development & Tourism, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Retirement, Rules and Special Rules Committees.
Following the 2021 special session on redistricting, Greene will run in the newly drawn House District 154, comprising all or parts of Calhoun, Clay, Baker, Early, Miller, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole and Daugherty counties. Greene also is poised to become the next “dean” of the Georgia House of Representatives as the longest-serving member.
