DJJ and GA Tech Hold Youth Training Program Graduation

(Savannah, GA) – The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), in partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology (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 today, March 26 in Savannah, Ga. The LEAP certification program provides secondary education students training to compete for careers in the supply chain and logistics field.

“We are so proud of our youth’s hard work and dedication to completing the LEAP program,” said DJJ Commissioner Shawanda Reynolds-Cobb. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Georgia Tech and seeing more youth accomplish their career goals.” 

Thirteen students from the Chatham County Education Transition Center (ETC) earned certificates of completion and professional continuing education credits (CEUs) in several courses, including Supply Chain Management Principles, Customer Service, Warehouse Operations, Transportation, Supply Management and Procurement, and Demand Planning. One student earned six out of the eight available certifications. Four graduates are now working in supply chain and logistics.

“These students show that resilience is alive and well among our youth! The partnership with DJJ has become one of the largest wins of the GA Tech LEAP program. It takes a true partnership to make this program a success, and we are happy that we have found that with DJJ,” said Charles Easley Jr., GT-SCL Project Director and Instructor. “This is the third graduating class in Chatham County, where we have more than 40 graduates, and with the abundance of supply chain and logistics opportunities in the region, these graduates are poised to begin a career with an abundance of opportunity and promise as a part of this DJJ Reentry Services initiative.”

Each online course was developed by the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech. The DJJ LEAP Program cohort, along with the 40-hour online courses, includes coaching, simulations, mentoring, and job/career preparation training.

A dozen youth graduated from the program in 2022 and just under a dozen youth (11) graduated from the program in 2019. In 2022, the program was expanded to include Bibb and Muscogee County ETCs. Also, this year, three parents of youth earned certifications through the program.

JP Morgan Chase & Co. initially funded the LEAP program in 2015, but subsequent funding has come from industry partners like the Georgia 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. 

Media Contact:

Glenn Allen

Cell: 404-291-0208

[email protected]

You have permission to use the attached photo of the LEAP Ceremony