'Helmets to Hardhats' to train vets in area

Helmets to Hardhats focuses on getting former military members into the civilian workforce.

Special to the News

Updated: May 16, 2014, 1:50 PM

Published: May 16, 2014, 2:00 PM

ATLANTA — Georgia Workforce Development, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, recently announced new veteran-training programs in Coastal Georgia, launched by Coastal Workforce Services.
“With more than 80,000 Georgia veterans expected to return home from combat over the next four years, it is now our duty to make their transition as easy as possible,” Gov. Nathan Deal said. “I want to thank all involved in launching these training programs for your commitment to honor Georgia’s heroes with meaningful and rewarding careers.”
In Savannah, the Local Workforce Area (Coastal Workforce Services) has offered training programs that help ease the transition process for returning military members.
To ensure that veterans have the proper training that businesses require, each program targets a specific, in-demand skill set.
“Helmets to Hardhats” is an 18-week training program that is designed to train pipe welders and provide certification nationwide.
For commercial driver’s license training, “Troops to Trucks” launched this month. The local area is partnering with the Savannah Technical College and Ogeechee Technical College for the programs.
Georgia Tech has partnered with the local community through the university’s Vet2 training program, a four-week education and transition program that assists veterans in converting specialized military knowledge into the civilian workforce.
“One of the biggest hurdles facing our returning veterans is the ability to transfer their unique and mastered skills into professional certifications,” said Ben Hames, deputy commissioner for the GDEcD’s Workforce Division. “These programs demonstrate the state’s commitment to veterans and ultimately supply our workforce with individuals who bring a valuable skill set to the table.”
With the fastest-growing port in the Southeast, the Port of Savannah, Savannah is a hub for manufacturing and logistics companies. To meet Georgia’s growing need for a highly skilled talent pool in these industries, the local area is working with The Coastal Logistics Group to provide on-the-job training for veterans in those sectors.
The Workforce Division is focused on connecting local areas with key partners, such as technical colleges, regional military installations, local employers and community leaders, to craft impactful programs that meet business needs.
For more information on Georgia Department of Economic Development, go to georgia.org.

Record April boosts Savannah's container trade at port

The Port of Savannah moved 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units in April, an increase of 7.1 percent. - photo by Provided

GardenCityTerminal — The Port of Savannah moved 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units in April, an increase of 7.1 percent. - photo by Provided

Bryan County News

Updated: May 23, 2018, 1:59 AM

Published: May 23, 2018, 2:00 AM

The Georgia Ports Authority's busiest April ever pushed its fiscal year-to-date totals to more than 3.4 million 20-foot equivalent container units (TEUs), an increase of 8.8 percent, or 280,000 TEUs, compared to the first 10 months of fiscal 2017.

"We're on track to move more than 300,000 TEUs in every month of the fiscal year, which will be a first for the authority," said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. "We're also anticipating this to be the first fiscal year for the Port of Savannah to handle more than 4 million TEUs."

April volumes reached 356,700 20-foot equivalent container units, up 7.1 percent or 23,700 units. As the fastest growing containerport in the nation, the Port of Savannah has achieved a compound annual growth rate of more than 5 percent a year over the past decade.

"As reported in the recent economic impact study by UGA's Terry College of Business, trade through Georgia's deepwater ports translates into jobs, higher incomes and greater productivity," said GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood. "In every region of Georgia, employers rely on the ports of Savannah and Brunswick to help them become more competitive on the global stage."

To strengthen the Port of Savannah's ability to support the state's future economic growth, the GPA Board approved $66 million in terminal upgrades, including $24 million for the purchase of 10 additional rubber-tired gantry cranes.

"The authority is committed to building additional capacity ahead of demand to ensure the Port of Savannah remains a trusted link in the supply chain serving Georgia and the Southeast," Lynch said.

The crane purchase will bring the fleet at Garden City Terminal to 156 RTGs. The new cranes will support three new container rows, which the board approved in March. The additional container rows will increase annual capacity at the Port of Savannah by 150,000 TEUs.

The RTGs will work over stacks that are five containers high and six deep, with a truck lane running alongside the stacks. Capable of running on electricity, the cranes will have a lift capacity of 50 metric tons.

The cranes will arrive in two batches of five in the first and second quarters of calendar year 2019.

Also at Monday's meeting, the GPA Board elected its officers, with Jimmy Allgood as chairman, Will McKnight taking the position of vice chairman and Joel Wooten elected as the next secretary/treasurer.

For more information, visit gaports.com, or contact GPA Senior Director of Corporate Communications Robert Morris at (912) 964-3855 or rmorris@gaports.com.

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