Regional Workforce Summits Bring Education & Business Leaders Together in Columbus
Building the Workforce of Tomorrow—Today
Choose Columbus brings together educators, business leaders, and community partners for a powerful conversation about the region’s future workforce. The Regional Workforce Summits serve as a collaborative platform to align education with industry needs, ensuring students are prepared for high-demand careers and employers have access to a skilled, local talent pipeline.
Through keynote speakers, engaging panels, and hands-on discussions, participants share insights on workforce trends, highlight successful career pathways, and identify opportunities for continued collaboration between schools and businesses.
Regional Workforce Summit 2025 Highlights:
Regional Workforce Summit 2025: Aim High! A Local Talent Attraction & Retention Story
Posted: March 13, 2026
Category: Workforce Summits
Martha Ann Tood, President - Columbus Technical College & Jesse Peabody, Associate Director of Training and Development, Pratt & Whitney, an RTX Company. Learn about the critical role that Columbus Tech performs in regional workforce development, the agility with which it can deliver high demand credentialing programs, and how it has partnered with Pratt & Whitney to create an aviation maintenance training program in Columbus. Pratt & Whitney is also a proud employer of many veterans (~25% of their workforce in Columbus). Learn about their success in leveraging the U.S. Department of War's Skillbridge program to bolster their workforce.
Regional Workforce Summit 2025: Building Futures with Housing
Posted: March 13, 2026
Category: Workforce Summits
Alan Durhan, an economic developer with the Enterprise Innovation Institute at Georgia Tech University led a multi-year study of the housing market within the Columbus AL-GA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Watch Alan report the results of his detailed study and make key recommendations on how regional leaders can best posture the regional economy for success by addressing critical gaps in specific housing categories.
Regional Workforce Summit 2025: Childcare as a Pathway for Workforce Stability
Posted: March 13, 2026
Category: Workforce Summits
"Childcare as a Pathway for Workforce Stability" is a detailed presentation and discussion about local efforts to improve the availability of quality, affordable childcare for local employees and their children. Led by Jennifer St. John, Senior Vice President, United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, and Cindy Spann, Executive Director, Child Care Resource and Referral of SW Georgia.
Regional Workforce Summit 2025: Creating a Work-Ready University
Posted: March 13, 2026
Category: Workforce Summits
Dr. Stuart Rayfield, President - Columbus State University, and senior members of her leadership team describe CSU's strategic plan "Better Together: 2030" and how the University is continuously transforming to deliver the workforce employers need both today and in the future.
Regional Workforce Summit 2025: Lightning Talks: Connecting Talent to Opportunity...A Call to Action
Posted: March 13, 2026
Category: Workforce Summits
"Lightning Talks: Connecting Talent to Opportunity...A Call to Action" features multiple educators, workforce development leaders, and local work-based learning students discussing their roles, opportunities and experiences in workforce development. Features: Dr. Clarence Anthony, Partnership for Innovation, Dr. Victoria Thomas, Senior Director of Career Technical Agricultural Education (CTAE) for Muscogee County Schools, Casie Williams, Senior Manager, Global Security Program Governance & Awareness at Aflac, and B. Ryan Willougby, Chief Executive Officer, Jordan Vocational High School College & Career Academy.
Regional Workforce Summit 2025: Manufacturing Georgia - Make Your Way.
Posted: March 17, 2026
Category: Workforce Summits