- 13 local tradesmen graduated from Spark Thomasville’s “Building for Success” program.
- Graduates gain certifications like DBE/MBE, low-interest funding access, and tools to bid on state and federal contracts.
- With 40% of Thomasville homes blighted or vacant, watch the video to learn how the program helps local workers rebuild the communities they live in.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For years, Thomasville tradesmen and women watched contractors from out of town get hired to build homes in their own community.
I'm showing you how a local training program is changing that with business licenses, certifications, and a chance to rebuild Thomasville from the inside out.
"And so one of the things we found out, identified region-wise, is that we just did not have enough contractors for the different projects that were taking places in the grants coming to our region," said Edwards.
After discovering that gap, Sharon Edwards — who trains small businesses across rural Georgia — helped develop an 8-week program tailored to contractors.
The goal: equip them with the licensing, certifications, and DBE status needed to qualify for local, state, and even federal construction jobs.
Because in Thomasville, where 40% of homes are vacant or blighted, the need for skilled, certified local tradespeople has never been more urgent.
"And then I kind of come into that training and say, OK, this is how you put your business plan together. And here is the clear access to capital through the Spark Alumni Fund. So, and we work with a team out in Albany that came together and put that together. So it wasn't just Spark, it was Spark, Albany Community Together, TCDC, Invest TVL, all of those organizations kind of came in," said Deshay Williams from Spark.
Graduates now have access to two low-interest loan funds, including the Spark Alumni Fund, offering rates as low as 4% — a rare opportunity for small contractors, especially in today's market.
"It's kind of rough — we just don't have all the… a lot of times we don't have all the resources that we need whether it be credentials as well as working capital and resources," said Reed.
One of those contractors is Ajeer Reed. He's been working in electrical since he was 15 — learning the trade from his father.
But Reed says no matter how many years you've been on the job, you can't grow your business without credentials, capital, and a chance to compete.
"So what this program has done is allowed us to get some business affairs in order… when you try to take your business to the next level there are certain criterias. For example, if you're a contractor and you have credentials, there are other things that go along with credentials — such as license," said Reed.
Reed was one of 13 local contractors to graduate from the program.
That means 13 Thomasville entrepreneurs are now better positioned to bid on housing projects fueled by millions in federal and state investment.
Williams tells me the terminated EPA grant was also meant to create job opportunities for the contractors who graduated from the program—giving them a wider path to work in Thomasville and beyond.
In Thomasville, I'm Layan Abu Tarboush, ABC27.
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