Meet Lead Gilmer's Grads

Workforce development leads in rural Georgia community, Gilmer County

Within the first minutes of meeting Leslie Benitez, a 2023 Lead Gilmer Graduate, it was clear that the Lead Gilmer program is something special. Based out of Gilmer's College and Career Academy, the program provides project-based experiences while broadening students' knowledge of the community's businesses and careers.

"Lead Gilmer is a partnership that brings leadership enhancement to Gilmer College and Career Academy’s Work Based Learning efforts," explained Mikella Rutter Clark, Gilmer High School’s Work-Based Learning Coordinator, during the recent visit. Benitez, a 2023 Gilmer Leads graduate, spoke with us and shared her experience in the program and her future goals.

Lead Gilmer partners Deb Cantrell, Georgia’s Rural Center and Kent Sanford, the Greater Gilmer Joint Development Authority stood by, beaming with pride at the impact the program is having on its workforce.

For this community, partnership often means helping execute the program’s curriculum. Deb Cantrell is one of those working partners. “I work a great deal with curriculum and lead various segments like StrengthsFinder and other interactive learning experiences like ‘Three Wishes,’ while Kent coordinates industry visits with community partners which align with our pathways. Mikella does all the logistics with the students and school system that are necessary to pull everything together.”

Those interactive experiences foster a sense of ownership for the town’s outcomes and the students and families who occupy it. Benitez reflected on her “Three Wishes” project.

“During our junior year we did the ‘Three Wishes’ activity with Mrs. Cantrell. One proposed project was a greater emphasis on parks and recreational opportunities for our community. In my senior year, we were reminded of that activity when asked to build a 'Pitch Plan.' My team selected Parks and Recreation, and at the culmination of that process, we were invited to make our 'Pitch' to the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners. Ultimately, they acted on our proposal and reestablished a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board which has now started working on a new master plan. I’m proud to have been part of the student leadership which made a significant impact on our community.”

Currently, Benitez is studying outside of the region but said that Lead Gilmer helps students see that there are career and job opportunities in Gilmer. “We take a lot of field trips around the county,” she shared.

“During those trips, you're shown that you can be successful in Gilmer. You can leave, but you’re always welcomed back home to start a career.”

High school graduation to career-ready

One of the student graduates starting their career in Gilmer is Emily Moseley. Moseley was a Lead Gilmer student who took part in the Public Safety pathway and opted to go straight into the workforce after graduation. Currently, she works as a Detention Officer at Gilmer County Sheriff's Office.

“During my senior year, our Public Safety pathway became the 4th National Industry Certified Public Safety pathway in the United States, receiving a perfect score on the certification rubric. Participation in that industry training and Lead Gilmer prepared me to go straight to work with the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office,” Moseley said.

A frequent speaker, Gilmer Sheriff Stacy Nicholson, invited us to meet with him and Moseley to discuss the role that he and his team have on the program.

“I’ve helped Lead Gilmer by talking to the students and giving them a taste of what we do in law enforcement and specifically in the Sheriff’s office. Beyond that, for the Career Academy, we’ve donated 911 equipment, a vehicle, and we help teach the classes. We want to be involved in the programs,” said Sheriff Nicholson.

This work is important to his team, even if students decide to pursue a career in public safety, yet he has seen the benefits of attracting students like Moseley who are interested in law enforcement.

Prior to taking part in Lead Gilmer, Emily Moseley still wasn’t certain what she wanted to pursue after high school, despite being active in several internships and work-based learning programs.

During one of those visits, hearing from Sheriff Nicholson and his team called her to pursue a career in public safety and law enforcement. Eager to learn, Moseley took on more opportunities, including shadowing rotations. This exposure helped her discover the job she has today at the County Detention Center, which she views as a stepping stone toward becoming an attorney. Observing and understanding the outcomes of her future clients is one of the most beneficial aspects of working in the detention center.

“It’s not what I expected. A lot of people in that setting are grateful for what you can do for them, and how it can help them,” Moseley expressed when letting us know that she tries to bring a smile to work with her every day, borrowing the leadership skills learned from Lead Gilmer. “They are already at their lowest point, and not everyone deserves to feel that way. [Smiling] had such an impact on them, which has had an impact on me.”

Emily won the Lead Gilmer Pitch Competition for a project focused on supporting the community’s underserved population. This was one of the experiences that propelled her into her current occupation where she was recognized as the 2024 Detention Officer of the Year.

Sheriff Nicholson sees Lead Gilmer as a valuable resource for organizations to introduce students to careers, not just jobs, in the region. “It’s an entry level stepping stone for some, like Emily, and it’s going to make her a better attorney for it.” Meanwhile, there is an opportunity to start a career right out of high school. “We’ve tried to create a place where people can come to work and not have to leave for a larger city or state. Some do, and that’s fine, but we’ve created a place where you can come to work for 25 to 30 years and retire here.”

Perhaps one of the most telling signs of the program’s effectiveness is the graduates' endorsement of the program.

“As someone who was in Lead Gilmer, anyone that can do that, or any work-based learning, do it and don’t settle,” Moseley shared that she took part in four placements before she discovered the pathway that called her. “It’s my career”.

Across Georgia, workforce development programs like Lead Gilmer are having a significant impact on the citizens and business. Visit Education & Workforce Development to view local programs that are developing Georgia’s talent pipeline.

Connect with us

Tamara Brock is the Regional Economic Development Manager for Northwest Georgia which includes Gilmer County. Send Tamara an email to discuss the programs available to help your business and community thrive.