Governor Brian Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), announced Thursday that more than 10,000 jobs were created across all regions of the state by economic development projects in Georgia during the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, generating more than $3.71 billion in new investments.
This represents a 50% increase in new jobs created and an 85% increase in new investments compared to the same quarter in the previous fiscal year.
“We’re incredibly proud to have announced this unprecedented number of jobs for hardworking Georgians over the past three months,” said Governor Kemp. “As the Top State for Business for seven consecutive years, we continue to shatter our previous numbers, and most importantly, create opportunities in every region of the Peach State.”
Industries that created the most jobs during the first quarter of the new fiscal year include food processing, manufacturing, and logistics and distribution.
“As we announce the creation of more than 10,000 new jobs, I want to thank my Global Commerce team for their work in helping businesses grow in Georgia. Our state has not only continued to attract companies from the U.S., but also globally – which underlines the importance of our 12 international offices,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “The support of Governor Kemp, the Georgia General Assembly, and our economic development partners enables us to continue this success story and strengthen relationships with the business community in Georgia.”
Even while facing a global pandemic, jobs and investment numbers in Georgia have increased when compared to the same time period last year. Between March 1 and September 30, 2020, the Global Commerce division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development assisted in locating 176 new economic development projects, creating 19,345 jobs and $6.48 billion in investment.
This announcement comes on the heels of Area Development magazine naming Georgia the “Top State for Doing Business” for a record-breaking seventh year in a row. This achievement is determined by the rankings that states receive from site selectors who help corporations choose the right location for long-term success. These weighted scores include categories such as overall cost of doing business, cooperative and responsive state government, workforce development programs, speed of permitting, logistics and infrastructure, available real estate, and other factors. Georgia ranked No. 1 in 10 of the 13 categories and placed in the top five in the other three categories.
