Leaders from the University of Georgia gathered on Tuesday to discuss the state of the economy in Georgia. They claim that Macon is on track to complete its recovery from the pandemic recession by the end of next year.
In the Outlook of Macon, there were various sectors that were affected by the pandemic, including employment, higher education, and housing.
Despite the fact that we have all felt the effects of the epidemic, if you live in Macon, you may notice changes at a more gradual pace.
UGA’s Terry College of Business is home to Alexandria Hill, who works as a Senior Research Analyst there. Hill claims that the first sector to be damaged was the employment sector.
As long as the city’s citizens and existing businesses are prepared to take advantage of the shift, “Macon’s industries will benefit from it,” Hill said.
The first thing that came up in conversation was about jobs.
“We anticipate that transportation and warehousing will grow, despite the fact that it is not one of the top three industries in Macon.” “It’s going to expand at a somewhat faster rate than a lot of other areas,” Hill predicted.
Hill also believes that occupations in health and government are the best to pursue, but that warehouse positions will soon become more popular as a result of the shift in the economy. However, in order to fill the growing number of positions, it is also necessary to place a strong emphasis on education.
In the words of Yvonne Williams, President, and CEO of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, it will be their primary emphasis moving ahead.
“We have a fantastic technical school system, and we have all of the pieces necessary to support the growth of our population and the expansion of our educational fabric.”
According to Williams, education is their primary goal in order to entice kids to the industry.
Housing is another important sector that is experiencing continued expansion. According to Williams, the low cost of living in the city is one of the factors that draws people to the city.
“Take a peek at downtown and all of the beautiful cultural, arts, and music fabric that is returning.” “This will be particularly appealing to metropolitan regions,” Williams stated.
Despite the fact that Macon is recovering at a slower pace than the majority of Georgia communities, the outcome will be an increase in job opportunities. By the end of 2022, the city of Macon will have gained approximately 1,500 new jobs.