Education & Talent
How Georgia's education system — from K-12 career academies through the Technical College System of Georgia, the University System of Georgia, and registered apprenticeships — aligns to real employer demand.
The data below is drawn from the same JobsEQ® Perkins V dataset (2025Q4) used across PPV — organized here around the CTE career clusters, credential gaps, and foundational skills that shape Georgia's talent pipeline.
CTE Career Clusters — Where Georgia Needs Talent
Hospitality (127,014 annual openings), Supply Chain & Transportation (91,378), Marketing & Sales (81,106), and Healthcare & Human Services (77,067) generate the largest talent demand statewide. Digital Technology commands the highest average wage ($119,900) but the smallest cluster — the pipeline needs to scale.
| Career Cluster | Annual Openings | Avg Wage | Annual Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitality, Events & Tourism | 127,014 | $35,700 | +5,568 |
| Supply Chain & Transportation | 91,378 | $56,300 | +6,582 |
| Marketing & Sales | 81,106 | $57,300 | +2,529 |
| Healthcare & Human Services | 77,067 | $77,200 | +8,469 |
| Management & Entrepreneurship | 70,976 | $96,800 | +5,791 |
| Education | 42,559 | $67,400 | +2,039 |
| Advanced Manufacturing | 39,774 | $62,300 | +2,517 |
| Construction | 39,458 | $64,300 | +4,372 |
| Public Service & Safety | 38,528 | $89,700 | +3,069 |
| Financial Services | 27,214 | $80,900 | +2,121 |
| Energy & Natural Resources | 26,292 | $100,500 | +2,812 |
| Arts, Entertainment & Design | 19,897 | $106,500 | +2,435 |
| Agriculture | 14,019 | $58,600 | +993 |
| Digital Technology | 13,501 | $119,900 | +2,897 |
Community colleges and career academies should scale CTE program capacity in Healthcare, Supply Chain, and Advanced Manufacturing first.
Where Georgia's Credential Pipeline Falls Short
Healthcare and skilled-trades credentials show the largest supply gaps: Registered Nurses (-295), NCCER Construction (-293), CDL-A drivers (-267), and Basic Life Support (-223). These are direct signals for TCSG program prioritization and apprenticeship expansion.
| Credential | Candidates | Openings | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse (RN) | 2,603 | 2,898 | -295 |
| NCCER Construction Certification | 46 | 339 | -293 |
| Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL-A) | 1,819 | 2,086 | -267 |
| Basic Life Support (BLS) | 3,110 | 3,333 | -223 |
| Commercial Driver's License (CDL) | 2,433 | 2,607 | -174 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) | 1,063 | 1,200 | -137 |
| Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | 1,901 | 2,031 | -129 |
| Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) | 1,367 | 1,465 | -98 |
| CISSP (Cybersecurity) | 309 | 404 | -95 |
| Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) | 178 | 269 | -91 |
Every negative gap represents a credentialed opening Georgia employers cannot fill from the current candidate pool.
Employer-Required Foundational Skills
Communication (360,038 postings) and teamwork (279,134) are Georgia's most requested competencies — appearing in far more job ads than any technical credential. These belong in every CTE program's general-education core.
Applied & Technical Skills In Demand
Microsoft Office (76,819) and Excel (71,627) remain the baseline applied-technology credential. CRM, SQL, and Python define the next tier of demand — priorities for Perkins-funded upgrades in business, IT, and data programs.
High-Signal Georgia Postsecondary Pipelines
Georgia Tech's Computer & Information Sciences program (4,259 annual awards) is the state's single largest demand-aligned pipeline. Nursing awards across Emory, Chamberlain, Georgia Southern, and TCSG together produce Georgia's largest healthcare talent base — directly feeding the credential gaps identified above.
| Program | Institution | Annual Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Computer & Information Sciences | Georgia Institute of Technology | 4,259 |
| Registered Nursing (BSN) | Emory University | 812 |
| Registered Nursing (BSN) | Georgia Southern University | 640 |
| Nursing Assistant / Aide | Technical College System of Georgia | 1,830 |
| Registered Nursing (ADN) | Chamberlain University-Georgia | 705 |
| Business Administration & Management | University of Georgia | 1,980 |
Data sources: JobsEQ® (Chmura Economics & Analytics) — Georgia Perkins V CTE dataset, 2025Q4. Postsecondary completions from IPEDS via JobsEQ program alignment. Prepared by PPV Georgia.