Effingham County Graduating Seniors Earn Their Workforce PhD

March 27, 2023

Students pose under the rail crane at Georgia Transformer during their tour of the facility.

Seniors at Effingham County’s high schools got a unique opportunity to explore their options and prepare for future careers last week. Through three days of panel discussions, educational talks and in-person tours, the Workforce PhD program prepares graduates for the world after graduation.

“Effingham County has so many career opportunities and not all of them require a college degree,” says Todd Wall, CEO of the Effingham College and Career Academy. “Thanks to our partners at the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, Savannah Technical College, and local industrial employers, we can show these students what their options are after graduation and how to go about getting a job in industry.”

The first day focused on soft skills, financial literacy, an overview of career possibilities and filling out job applications. The second day prepared students for mock job interviews and gave them tours of local companies like Edwards Interiors, Halstead, Lion Brand Yarn and Georgia Transformer.

“This program showed me that there is a lot of opportunity for me to work in Effingham County when I graduate,” says Wesley King, graduating senior at Effingham County High School.  “I really enjoyed touring the industrial facilities and getting an up-close look at what it would be like to work there.”

On the third day, students participated in speed networking with area employers including Shaw Industries, Pacific Cycle and Georgia-Pacific.

“I enjoyed hearing about the companies and the jobs in the area during the networking event,” says David Hernandez, graduating senior at South Effingham High School.  “There were several companies that caught my interest and I look forward to applying there when I graduate.”

The Workforce PhD program is a partnership between the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, Effingham College and Career Academy, Savannah Technical College and local employers to give students who are looking to enter the workforce immediately after graduation the same level of support offered to college-bound students.

“We were very impressed with the students who participated in the Workforce PhD program.  They were very professional and because of training they completed while still in high school, some of them had welding experience, which is a skill that we are always looking for,” says Shaneria Vaughns, Human Resources Supervisor at Georgia Transformer.  “Being able to network and learn about the companies in the area is an opportunity that I wish I had when I was in high school.”