DOL Commissioner Mark Butler Keynote Speaker at Chamber Awards Luncheon

Labor Commissioner of Georgia Mark Butler addressed Paulding business leaders last week at the Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, which was followed by the presentation of this year’s Industry Appreciation Awards.
Dr. Ron Newcomb, president Chattahoochee Technical College (CTC) was the presenter. Honorees for 2018 were Dallas Millwork Inc, in Hiram Manufacturer of the Year, and T & R Fixtures, LLC of Dallas was Industry of the Year.
Butler told Paulding Business leaders last week that there is an all-time record low unemployment in Georgia for February 2018, creating a very competitive job market with the advantage going to the employees.
Butler said it’s the lowest number of beneficiaries on unemployment since 1990.
Also, Butler reported the Dept. of Labor (DOL) surveyed 770 employers last year and 85 percent said the biggest skill set problem is employees lack of ‘soft skills’ which he went on to identify soft skills as things like dress, behavior, dependability, ethics, and honesty.
Butler said the overwhelming majority of employers are willing to train someone on the skills needed for the job if they come to the table with soft skills.
The DOL started a two-part program called Georgia's Best to address the soft skills problem. The first is an At Home Model where employees can follow lesson plans and brush up on soft skills at home. The 2nd is At Work - helping co-workers by working through lesson plans.
Butler went on to say that in taking care of the soft skills, you take care of 90 percent of the issues facing employers.
CTC is the largest technical college in the state with eight campus locations serving the counties of Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Gilmer, Paulding, and Pickens. CTC awards more than 70 certificates, diplomas and associate degrees in 45 programs of study through traditional classroom courses as well as online training. The economic impact on the six-county region has been estimated at $100 million.
The college also provides the community with other learning opportunities, including customized workforce training, adult literacy and continuing education programs.

1st photo is the Paulding Chamber of Commerce Industry of the Year – T&R Fixtures, LLC L to R Dr. Ron Newcomb, Stacy Hamby, James Wright, GA DOL Commissioner Mark Butler, Tom Tatzel, Will Barrett and Al Harrold.

2nd photo is the Paulding Chamber of Commerce Manufacturer of the Year – Dallas Millwork, Inc. L to R Dr. Ron Newcomb, Carlos Deupree, Stacy Hamby, John Henderson, GA DOL Commissioner Mark Butler, Clay Proctor, James Wright.