(Decatur, GA) –The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), in partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology’s (Georgia Tech) Supply Chain and Logistics Institute, and the Georgia Tech Professional Education Department, held a graduation ceremony for DJJ youth who completed the Georgia Tech Logistics Education and Pathway (LEAP) training program on Nov. 17 in Savannah, Ga. A workforce development program, the LEAP certification program, provides secondary education students training to compete for jobs in the supply chain and logistics field.

“We are so proud of our youth for achieving this important goal as they look to advance in their careers,” said DJJ Assistant Commissioner Shawanda Reynolds-Cobb. “We look forward to continuing this partnership with Georgia Tech and seeing more youth thrive through the LEAP program.”  

A dozen students received certificates of completion and earned professional continuing education credits (CEU’s) in courses, such as Supply Chain Management Principles, Customer Service Operations, Warehousing Operations, and Transportation Operations. Each online course was developed by the USA Today #1 Ranked Faculty of the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech, reviewed by subject matter experts, and sanctioned by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. The DJJ LEAP Program cohort along with online courses includes coaching, field trips, simulations, mentoring, and job/career preparation training.

“Students get a total picture of what it is like to work in the supply chain and logistics field and begin to see what opportunities are available to them,” said Charles Easley, Program Manager for the Georgia Tech Supply Chain and Logistics Institute. “We want them to have self-esteem, be ready to be contributing members of the workforce, and most importantly move forward.”

This is the second group of DJJ youth to graduate from the LEAP program in Chatham County. Just under a dozen youth (11) graduated from the program in 2019.  The program has also been expanded to include Bibb and Muscogee county youth Educational Transition Centers (ETC’s).

With initial funding in 2015 by JP Morgan Chase & Co, subsequent funding for the LEAP program has come from industry partners like the GA Power Foundation, Regions Foundation, Schneider Foundation, The Home Depot, Goodwill, and HMTX Industries.

To learn more about LEAP, visit https://www.scl.gatech.edu/LEAP

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The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice is a multi-faceted agency that serves the state's justice-involved youth up to 21 years of age. The Department's mission is to transform young lives by providing evidence-based rehabilitative treatment services and supervision, strengthening youth and families' well-being, and fostering safe communities.