DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty, (center) flanked by Washington Mayor pro tem Pamela Eaton and Wilkes County Commission Chairman Sam Moore, joined other leaders and stakeholders in state, local and regional government, adult education, and workforce development to sign the Communities of Opportunity agreement that will lead to a workforce academy being established in Wilkes County. Local and state leaders joined together to sign a contract Friday morning to put the state's Communities of Opportunity (Co-Op) initiative into action in Wilkes County by creating a workforce academy designed to enhance local workers' skills in the high-tech workplace.

"It's one thing to graduate," said DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty, "but it's another thing to graduate with a skill. So I want to congratulate you for taking this step."

Citing $92,000-a-year welding jobs at Toyota plants in the South, Beatty said that 65 percent of jobs do not require a college degree, but technical training, and the workforce academy planned for Wilkes County would hone workers' skills to match the needs of any industry.

The head of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs led the Co-Op initiative contract signing Friday morning in the Wilkes County Courthouse Board Room, joined by Region 7 representative Tina Hutcheson, program coordinator Patrice Williams, local team members Ed Geddings, County Commission Chair- man Sam Moore, Washington Mayor Pro tem Pamela Eaton, and Athens Technical College Vice President Jerry Barrow, along with many city and county elected officials and civic leaders, local community educators, and officials from, and representatives from the offices of both Georgia senators.

After the parties signed the giant contract, Patrice Williams welcomed the participants, and Tina Hutcheson gave the call to action. "We've met and met, now we're going to get to work," she said. "You've got a great initiative, and you've tried to work on this in the past, but now, with a concerted effort bringing in resources, we can get things moving. It's going to be a challenge, but we're going to bring in the resources and work with you."

Implementation team member Ed Geddings welcomed the state officials and said, "Our future is in workforce development, developing the students who are in school right now - they're our future."

But Geddings said he got a reality check in meetings with a steering committee made up of Athens Tech President Dr. Flora Tydings, Wilkes School Superintendent Joyce Williams, and Washington Mayor Willie Burns.