The Development Authority of Bryan County (DABC) recently hosted Industry Day, providing more than 300 eighth-grade students with the opportunity to participate in hands-on industry tours across the county.
Held over two days, Industry Day welcomed 150 students from each middle school, including the entire eighth-grade class from Bryan County Middle School, connecting students directly with the industries helping shape Bryan County’s economic future. In total, 12 local industries participated, offering students first-hand exposure to real-world career environments.
The initiative focused on helping students better understand how classroom learning connects to future workforce opportunities and long-term career pathways.
Tours were conducted from 9:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., with students rotating through multiple industry locations.
On Tuesday in Richmond Hill, students toured C&H Precision, Great Oaks Bank, the EOM Wastewater Facility, Hyundai Mobis MNAe, Del Webb Savannah at Heartwood, and St. Joseph’s/Candler Urgent Care, gaining exposure to essential workplace skills and career pathways across manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and infrastructure.
On Thursday in North Bryan, students visited AGCO, Daniel Defense, Orafol, Webstaurant, Hyundai Transys, and Hyundai Mobis MSV, learning about careers in manufacturing, logistics, and skilled trades.
Following the tours, students returned to their respective middle schools for lunch, where Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) promotional presentations were held. These sessions introduced students to academic programs and training pathways aligned with local workforce needs.
“Seeing careers in action makes learning more purposeful and relevant, helping students connect their aptitudes and interests to CTAE pathways in our high schools and to careers available right here in Bryan County,” stated Jonathan Shearer, Director of CTAE, Federal, and Special Programs for Bryan County Schools.
“Industry Day is about helping students see the connection between what they’re learning in school and the real-world careers available in Bryan County,” said Zachary Dykes, Project Manager with the DABC. “By opening the doors of our local industries, we are investing early in the future workforce of our community.”
“For the DABC, serving our local schools, teachers, and students is a blessing as we get to witness generational seeds being planted,” said Ryan Purvis, CEO of the Development Authority of Bryan County.
Industry Day was made possible through collaboration between education and industry partners, including Title Sponsor Georgia Power, Bryan County Schools, and the Development Authority of Bryan County. Their shared commitment to workforce development continues to strengthen Bryan County’s long-term economic success.
A new workforce-focused website supporting these initiatives is scheduled to launch next week, providing expanded resources for students, parents, and educators