Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is introducing legislation to upgrade technical colleges and help Georgians get job training.
Sen. Ossoff recently introduced the Skilled Workforce Act to incentivize companies to directly invest in physical infrastructure and equipment at high schools, career academies, and technical colleges for local workforce development needs — with a goal of increasing private investment that helps train workers.
Sen. Ossoff’s bill would direct the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce, to establish a new program that awards a competitive tax credit for workforce training projects.
Currently, only 10 states have a worker surplus and Georgia has 74 available workers for every 100 open jobs, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
“Technical colleges, community colleges, and skills training are the foundation for Georgia’s middle-class,” Sen. Ossoff said. “That’s why I’m introducing this bill to encourage private businesses to invest in workforce development and hire Georgians.”
The Skilled Workforce Act is endorsed by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce, Fayette Chamber of Commerce, McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce, Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Clayton Chamber of Commerce, LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce, Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, and Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce.
“The Fayette Chamber is committed to fostering economic development and workforce readiness in our community. We believe the Skilled Workforce Act will be a catalyst for innovation, opportunity, and prosperity for Fayette County businesses and across Georgia. We urge Congress to advance this important legislation and stand ready to support its implementation,” said Leonardo McClarty President and CEO, Fayette Chamber of Commerce.
“The Skilled Workforce Act of 2025 will incentivize companies to collaborate with wide array of partners to address this essential need. If we seek a brighter tomorrow, it is imperative that we find innovative ways to invest. We are grateful for this effort and will urge for wide, non-partisan support in any way we are asked,” said David Bradley, President and CEO, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce.
“I enthusiastically endorse this legislation. Supporting partnerships between industry and education partners is not only vital to our local workforce ecosystem— it is a strategic investment in the economic future of our community, Georgia, and the nation. The incentives proposed in this legislation would help close existing skills gaps, expand training opportunities and better align education with the evolving needs of industry,” said Pam Powers-Smith, President, Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce.
“As we are a small rural county this bill would be beneficial to our community. Education is our children’s future encouraging industry to invest in our children’s future is a win win, I support it 100%,” said Jackie Mull, Board Chair of the McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce.
“I support the Act- Supporting the Skilled Workforce Act of 2025 aligns closely with the Chamber’s mission and our GROWS initiative by directly investing in education and workforce development. The legislation would provide tax incentives for businesses to support infrastructure and equipment upgrades at local schools, technical colleges, and workforce programs—enhancing our community’s ability to prepare students for in-demand careers. It encourages public-private partnerships, helps close the skills gap, and could bring new resources into our region. Importantly, the bill is focused on economic development and education, making it a nonpartisan opportunity to advocate for long-term workforce sustainability in McIntosh County,” said Amy Spinks, Past Board Chair of the McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce.
“The Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce supports Senator Ossoff’s Skilled Workforce Act of 2025because it invests directly in the training and infrastructure our communities need to fill in‑demand jobs. This legislation is a win for Georgia’s workers, businesses, and economic future.” said Ronic West, President & Co‑Founder, Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce.
“The Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce proudly supports Senator Ossoff’s Skilled Workforce Act as a smart investment in our state’s economic future. By fostering stronger partnerships between industry and education, and equipping our students with modern training tools, this legislation will strengthen Georgia’sworkforce pipeline and create new opportunities for Hispanic and diverse communities to thrive,” said Veronica Maldonado-Torres, President & CEO, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
“Senator Ossoff’s Skilled Workforce Act presents a timely, strategic solution by incentivizing private-sector investment in training facilities and equipment, strengthening the talent pipeline and preparing tomorrow’s workforce. This legislation fosters the kind of collaboration between industry and education that is essential to our region’s long-term economic competitiveness,” said Valencia Williamson, President and CEO of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce.
“We applaud efforts like Senator Ossoff’s Skilled Workforce Act that aim to create stronger alignment between education and industry. A more skilled, better-prepared workforce is not only good for business—it’s good for Georgia,” said Summer Deal, Board Chairman, LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce.
“At the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber we know that one of the greatest hurdles our businesses and industries face is ensuring that there is a large enough skilled workforce to meet this growing needs. We locally prioritize workforce through the Chamber’s foundation, partnering with our local school systems and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, and are currently helping lead the effort to create a regional College and Career Academy. We were thrilled to read Senator Ossoff’s Workforce Act of 2025 as we believe it has the potential to exponentially grow existing partnerships and incentivize new ones between our industries and the entities charged with growing our skilled workforce,” said S. Christie Moore, President & CEO, Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce.
“The greater Augusta business community recognizes that strong partnerships between industry and education are critical to preparing students for high-demand, high-skill careers. Many Chamber members are already investing time and resources to help build that pipeline. Incentivizing private sector contributions—such as equipment, technology, and infrastructure—can play a meaningful role in strengthening workforce readiness and ensuring our region remains competitive in a rapidly evolving economy,” said Angie Cox, President and CEO, Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Sen. Ossoff continues working to strengthen job training programs and opportunities.
Last July, Sen. Ossoff helped introduce the bipartisan Pathways to Prosperity Act alongside Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Mike Braun (R-IN), which aims to strengthen job training and skills programs at community and technical colleges.
In February, Sen. Ossoff co-sponsored the bipartisan JOBS Act to help more students access and afford short-term job training programs.
Last year, Sen. Ossoff delivered Federal funding to Columbus State University to help develop a curriculum for semiconductor chips manufacturing as the region continues working to attract new economic investments in the booming chips manufacturing sector.
Sen. Ossoff also previously delivered Federal funding to strengthen workforce programs at the Automotive Training Center, which serves low-income, at-risk youth, and young adults ages 15-25 in metro Atlanta and offers students on-the-job training and experience in the automotive repair industry.
Click here to read the Skilled Workforce Act.
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