SAVANNAH, GA – On November 13th, the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) held a graduation ceremony for DJJ youth who participated in Georgia Tech University’s Logistic Education and Pathway (L.E.A.P.) training program.

L.E.A.P., a certification program, prepares students to compete for jobs in the supply chain and logistics field while obtaining a permanent professional education transcript of continuing education units from Georgia Tech.

“These types of programs help youth gain skills, which can help prevent them from reentering the criminal justice system,” said Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “Our students feel rejuvenated by this achievement because they can see the opportunity for a better future.”

Nine DJJ Chatham County Education Transitional Center (ETC) students earned various certificates of completion in Supply Chain Management, Customer Service, and Warehouse Operations. Fours students who graduated from the program have already received job offers and three others have job interviews scheduled.

The Georgia Tech Supply Chain and Logistics Institute created LEAP in 2015 through a $350,000 grant from JPMorgan Chase & Co. to further the financial services firm’s New Skills at Work initiative. New Skills at Work aims to bridge the gap between the talent employers need and the qualifications of the local talent pipeline. In 2018, the Chase awarded LEAP an additional $250,000 grant.

Commissioner Oliver would like to thank Georgia Tech University, JP Morgan & Chase, Goodwill and Schneider for providing funding and technical assistance for this job training program. 

To learn more about LEAP, visit https://www.scl.gatech.edu/LEAP. Interested in how to become a volunteer at DJJ, give us a call at 404-508-6500.