FOCO Works

HR leaders, this one is for you! 👏

Join us for our Q4 Human Resource Council as we welcome Hilary Wilson for a conversation on Building Stronger, More Engaged Teams.

Hilary will share practical strategies to help employees move beyond simply showing up to becoming engaged, active members of their teams. We’ll explore individual work styles, personality assessments, stronger communication, and ways to build greater connection and engagement across your organization.

✨ Bonus for HR professionals: Attending HRC qualifies for SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDC)!

📅 Wednesday, October 14th
⏰ 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Exovations

Come ready to connect with other HR professionals and walk away with practical ideas you can put to work with your team.

🔗 Register here: https://web.focochamber.org/events/Human-Resource-Council-Q4-9332/details

Thank you to our HRC Presenting Sponsor, Riptide, LLC, and our supporting sponsors, Kaiser Permanente and Dieffenbacher, for helping make these conversations possible!

What if some of the best career opportunities for our students are already right here in their own backyard?

That’s what National Manufacturing Day is all about.

This week students from Forsyth County Schools stepped outside the classroom and inside local manufacturing facilities to see firsthand the careers, technology, and opportunities available right here in Forsyth County.
For me, this work comes back to one thing: talent retention.

We have incredibly talented students graduating from our schools every year, and we have incredible companies looking for their future workforce.

Our job is to help connect the two.

Manufacturing today looks very different than many students and adults may imagine. These are careers in engineering, automation, robotics, skilled trades, operations, technology, leadership, and so much more. Days like today give students the opportunity to see those careers in action, meet the people doing the work, and begin picturing themselves in those roles.

A HUGE thank you to our manufacturing partners who opened their doors to students today:
BoldVu®
BTD Manufacturing
Dynamic Technical Formulations
ENERVEX Inc.
GAF
Kamstrup North America
Siemens Energy

We also brought everyone back together for lunch and a conversation with our college and university partners about the education and training pathways that can help students turn that career interest into their next step.

The goal isn't simply to expose students to manufacturing. It's to help them understand that they can build great careers, with great companies, right here in their community.

That’s workforce development. And that’s how we build and retain the talent Forsyth County needs for the future.

Thank you to Forsyth County Schools, our host companies, college and university partners, and our amazing sponsors AutomationDirect and L3Harris Technologies who helped make National Manufacturing Day possible!

🥓 Now Hiring in Forsyth County!

is growing its team and currently hiring for Cashier and Assistant Manager opportunities.

This could be a great fit for someone looking for a morning schedule, a student or young professional building customer service experience, or someone with restaurant experience who is ready to step into a leadership role.

Current opportunities:
🥓 Full-Time Cashier
⭐ Assistant Manager

A few perks:
• Morning schedule, Tuesday–Saturday
• Closed Sundays & Mondays
• PTO
• Free employee meal every shift
• Opportunities for growth and advancement

Cashier applicants must be at least 16 years old, and Saturday availability is required for both positions. Previous restaurant or supervisory experience is required for the Assistant Manager opportunity.

Know someone who would be a great fit? Tag them or share this post with them!

Email [email protected] to apply

🔎 Looking for more local opportunities? Visit FOCO Works to connect with jobs right here in Forsyth County.

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Last week, FOCO Works, in partnership with Forsyth County Schools, kicked off our first Educator Workforce Academy session of the year!

The goal of Educator Workforce Academy is simple: help the people preparing our students better understand the economy, industries, and career opportunities right here in Forsyth County.

We packed a lot into our first session!

➡️ Rope Roberts kicked us off with Economic Development 101 and a look at how communities attract, retain, and support businesses.

➡️ Matt McClure provided a deeper look at the role of the Development Authority and how economic development happens here in Forsyth County.

➡️ After lunch, Zach and Meg with ABM shared about early talent, the careers available within their organization, and opportunities for students after graduation.

➡️ Andre Persons closed out the day by sharing Georgia Power’s workforce development strategy and how they are thinking about building their future talent pipeline.

We ended the day with a tour of ABM’s facility, giving our educators the opportunity to see firsthand some of the careers and technology we had spent the day talking about.

Teachers, counselors, and school leaders play such an important role in workforce and economic development. The more they understand our local industries, the skills employers need, and the career pathways available, the better equipped they are to help students answer one of the biggest questions they’ll face:

“What opportunities are available to me after graduation?”

And sometimes, the answer is right here in their own backyard.

Grateful to Forsyth County Schools, our speakers, ABM for hosting us, and every educator who took time away from the classroom to learn more about the community their students will soon enter as members of our workforce.

Looking forward to Session Two!

If you have a high school student in Forsyth County who is still figuring out what comes after graduation, Trade Talks is for them.

On November 4th, Forsyth County sophomores, juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to meet dozens of local employers and explore careers in welding, electrical, construction, public safety, aviation, culinary, healthcare and more.

Your student does not have to know exactly what they want to do yet.
Trade Talks gives them a chance to see what is out there, ask questions, meet people working in these careers and learn about paths that can lead to great opportunities after high school.

College is a great path for many students. It is also not the only path to a successful career.

📅 November 4th, 2026
⏰10am-12pm
📍 FOCAL Center
🎟️ FREE for students

Parents, encourage your student to ask their school counselor about attending Trade Talks.

Learn more at www.focoworks.org/tradetalks

Want to grow your skills, become more confident at work, or strengthen what you bring to your next job opportunity?

FOCO Works is here to help!

Today we kicked off our Professional Skills Workshop Series with The Art of Communication, giving participants practical tools they can use immediately in the workplace.

And we’re not done yet!

Our next two workshops are designed to help you build the skills employers are looking for:

➡️ October 7th | Taking Ownership
Learn how to take initiative, build accountability, and become someone your team can count on.

➡️ November 5 | Feedback & Decision Making
Build confidence giving and receiving feedback while strengthening your critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Whether you’re looking for work, looking to grow in your current role, or simply want to keep building your professional toolkit, these sessions are for you.

🔗 Learn more at www.focoworks.org/professionalskillsworkshop

Keep learning. Keep growing. Keep building what’s next.

What a great morning at Empower HER presented by Northeast Georgia Health System and in partnership with FOCO Works!

Today, women from across our community came together at World Park to connect, learn and support one another. From hearing from our speakers and making new connections to exploring opportunities with local employers, the morning was all about providing women the tools, resources and connections they need to thrive!

Thank you to everyone who joined us, our speakers who shared their time and experiences, the employers who participated in our career fair, and our sponsors who helped make the morning possible.

And the fun doesn’t stop here! Join us tomorrow evening for our Women Connect W**e Tasting at Grazey Girls! It’s another great opportunity to meet new people, catch up with familiar faces and grow your network, all while enjoying some great w**e.

For more information click here: https://bit.ly/3Ss1XcY

We hope to see you there!

This weeks Q3 Human Resource Council, presented by Riptide, LLC, was a huge success!

We heard from local leaders (Scott Feldkamp, Alice Collien and Sydney Lebouef) about the retention strategies that are making a real difference in their organizations. The conversation covered everything from being more intentional in recruiting and building a strong culture to preparing managers to lead their teams well.

One of our favorite things about our Human Resource Council is the opportunity to bring HR professionals together to learn from one another. There’s so much value in sharing what’s working, talking through common challenges, exchanging best practices and enjoying a meal together while we do it!

Thank you to our panelists, attendees, and our sponsors (Riptide, LLC, Kaiser Permanente and Dieffenbacher) for another great HRC. We’re already looking forward to the next one!