Job Profiles

Project Synergy is an innovative, regionally coordinated internship program designed to develop and retain top local talent by connecting high achieving students with meaningful, career aligned work experiences. The program focuses on building early career pathways for students as they transition from high school to college while strengthening the long-term workforce pipeline for critical regional employers.

The program is made possible through a strong public private partnership that includes the Development Authority of Houston County, Houston County School District, Robins Air Force Base, the United States Air Force, the 21st Century Partnership, regional employers, and higher education partners. This collaborative structure allows students to participate in structured, project-based internships that reinforce classroom learning, build professional skills, and provide exposure to high demand career opportunities within the region.

Project Synergy emphasizes continuity and talent retention by engaging students early beginning as rising college freshmen and encouraging them to return for future internships and employment opportunities. The program has demonstrated exceptional outcomes with a significant majority of participants who begin as rising freshmen ultimately accepting job offers to continue their work with regional employers particularly at Robins Air Force Base.

By aligning education workforce development and employer needs Project Synergy serves as a model for innovative talent development. The program reflects the region’s commitment to preparing its best and brightest students to compete for high value career opportunities while creating clear pathways for them to return home contribute to the local economy and support long term regional growth.

Project Synergy is a partnership between the Development Authority of Houston County, Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC), and the Houston County School District. This $10 million – 47,000 square foot high-tech software facility provides a collaborative setting fashioned like a modern, Silicon Valley-style software lab. It provides a free environment for tech-savvy pros to innovate and create. Approximately 150 members of the SWEG’s 580th Software Engineering Squadron will occupy the space in addition to 250 new positions that are currently being added.

The Center also addresses those elements key to the present and future requirements of the software missions for Robins Air Force Base and the need to grow the workforce pipeline. As a response to the need to create an atmosphere made for creativity and the education of young people, a 2,000 square foot space has been included for the Houston County College and Career Academy students.

This project was made possible through the collaboration of many community members. Exemplary leadership as was demonstrated between Houston County Commission Chairman, Tommy Stalnaker, and former WR-ALC Commander, BG John Kubinec were key in making this project a reality. It was best acknowledged by former Georgia Department of Economic Development COO, Bert Brantley: It’s an incredible testament to the reality of all of Middle Georgia and this community in particular when the call is put out that you guys answer and say yes.

Through an innovative public-private partnership, HCCA hosts the state of Georgia’s first high school Industrial Maintenance Lab among career academies, a pioneering model of how high school education, technical college credentials, and workforce development can be integrated. The program gives students real college credits, real hands-on lab experience with factory grade equipment, and direct pathways to apprenticeships and maintenance jobs.

The curriculum was developed in direct response to local employer needs, most notably at Frito Lay’s Perry plant, to address a shortage of qualified maintenance technicians. Students who complete the program are eligible to apply for Frito Lay’s apprenticeship program. As part of that pathway, students continue their industrial maintenance education at Central Georgia Technical College and are mentored by experienced plant employees. The senior lab component includes the tear down and rebuilding of actual Frito Lay plant equipment, giving students real-world, hands-on maintenance experience before graduation.

Students earn both high school credentials and technical college credits, approximately twenty-one college credits over two years. This provides a head start on a postsecondary degree while preparing students to enter the workforce immediately. The approach creates a smoother transition from school to work and delivers value for both students and employers.

Within a year of launching the program, HCCA celebrated its first cohort of graduates. Out of the inaugural class, eight students completed the program, seven entered maintenance jobs directly, and one pursued further education. The program was developed through a three-year collaboration among HCCA, Central Georgia Technical College, industry partners such as Frito Lay, and local workforce and economic development authorities. This collaboration serves as a strong model for community driven workforce readiness.

The Industrial Maintenance Lab provides a steady pipeline of technically trained maintenance professionals for manufacturing firms across Central Georgia. It supports regional industrial growth and helps employers meet current and future workforce needs. Regional workforce development partners recognize the lab as a key component of Houston County’s workforce training ecosystem.

The Georgia Veterans Education Career Transition Resource (VECTR) Center’s AI Robotics Lab serves as a cutting-edge hub for advanced workforce training, innovation, and applied learning. Designed to bridge emerging technology with real-world workforce needs, the lab provides hands-on exposure to artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing systems that are increasingly shaping modern industry.

Through immersive, skills-based training, participants engage with industrial robotics, AI-enabled systems, and automated processes used across sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, aerospace, and defense. The lab emphasizes practical application, allowing learners to develop competencies in programming, troubleshooting, systems integration, and data-driven decision-making.

The AI Robotics Lab plays a critical role in supporting veterans, transitioning service members, students, and incumbent workers by accelerating pathways into high-demand, technology-driven careers. By aligning training with employer needs and industry-recognized credentials, the VECTR Center strengthens regional workforce pipelines while supporting innovation, productivity, and economic growth across Middle Georgia and the state.