Clayton State Workforce Development Survey
Clayton State University and Clayton County Chamber of Commerce Partner to Strengthen Local Workforce
Clayton State University and the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce have announced an exciting new partnership to better support the workforce needs of Clayton County businesses. Together, they are launching the Clayton State Workforce Development Survey—a tool designed to gather valuable insights from local employers and connect them directly with university leaders and resources.
Through this initiative, Chamber member businesses can share their short- and long-term workforce needs, helping Clayton State develop customized programs such as:
- Targeted certifications and micro-credentials
- Professional development opportunities
- Accelerated degree completion options
- Industry-specific job boards and recruitment fairs
- Student internship and co-op opportunities
“This partnership builds upon our long-standing relationship with Clayton State and provides a direct pathway for local businesses to communicate their needs in real-time,” said Valencia Williamson, President & CEO of the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce.
The survey was developed by Clayton State’s Center for Research on Economic Sustainability and Trends (CREST) and will help inform innovative strategies for local hiring, training, and employee retention.
"Having access to real-time data on employer hiring and retention needs empowers us to respond to local workforce demands with relevant educational pathways,” said Dr. Jill Drake, Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs at Clayton State University. “We are energized by the opportunity to leverage these insights to design micro-credentials, certificates, and professional degrees tracks that are tailored to Clayton County’s evolving job market."
Why This Matters
Clayton State and the Chamber are committed to advancing social mobility and economic development across the county. This partnership represents a shared investment in actionable, data-informed solutions that will strengthen the workforce pipeline at the local level.
Survey Details
Complete the Workforce Development Survey
- Who should participate? Senior leaders, managers, and HR professionals at Chamber member businesses
- How long will it take? Approximately 5–10 minutes
- Deadline: December 1, 2025
Email CREST for questions or support completing the survey.
Clayton State University and Clayton County Chamber of Commerce Announce Workforce Data-Sharing Partnership to Support Local Clayton County Businesses
Clayton State University and the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce a workforce data-sharing partnership to support local businesses within Clayton County. With the launch of the newly developed Clayton State Workforce Development Survey on October 6, 2025, the Chamber will be able to identify opportunities for local businesses to connect with Clayton State in response to evolving industry-specific business education (credential) and training needs. The deadline to complete and submit the survey is December 1, 2025.
“The Chamber is proud of this new partnership, which builds upon the already well-established relationship with Clayton State, said Valencia Williamson, President and CEO of the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce. “Member organizations of the Chamber will be equipped with a direct pathway to communicate individual, short and long-term workforce credentialing needs to leaders of the University, further strengthening the workforce pipeline across Clayton County.”
The Clayton State Workforce Development Survey, established by the university’s Center for Research on Economic Sustainability and Trends (CREST), will be distributed by the Chamber to all Clayton County businesses. The survey will collect employment qualifications and credential needs, and to identify the workforce supply and demand gaps of local businesses down to the neighborhood level.
The survey tool will track both the current and five-year local workforce needs of businesses, allowing for leaders of the University and Chamber to develop prioritized, collaborative, and innovative response strategies to employer hiring and retention needs.
To increase workforce readiness across Clayton County, Chamber and university leaders will research and develop unique initiatives and opportunities tailored to the local workforce demands identified within the workforce survey.
“Both organizations are leaning into this opportunity and our aligned commitment to Social Mobility – which is the university’s mission,” said Dr. Georj Lewis, President of Clayton State University. “We acknowledge our individual and collective roles in supporting the workforce needs of our local businesses, and this new partnership demonstrates the intentionality of us collecting workforce data and responding together.”