Every day, I see the transformative power of technical education. Whether students train in dental hygiene, cybersecurity, welding, automotive technology, computer programming or culinary arts, they gain the skills that keep Georgia’s workforce strong and our economy competitive.
Before leading the Technical College System of Georgia, I served as commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections. That experience shaped my understanding of how critical education is in determining a young person’s future. When individuals have access to meaningful career pathways, they are far more likely to build stable, productive lives. When they don’t, the consequences — for them and for our communities — can be severe.
This reality is especially true for young adults who have been part of the foster care system. These students often enter adulthood without the support networks many of us take for granted. They may not have a parent to help them fill out financial aid forms, a family member to offer a spare bedroom when money is tight, or a mentor to encourage them when school challenges arise. Yet they are expected to navigate housing, employment, transportation and education entirely on their own.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
The data show just how steep the climb can be. According to the KIDS COUNT Data Center, only 56% of youth who were in foster care at age 17 are employed part time or full time by age 21. By age 26, young adults who age out of foster care earn 50% less and have 20% lower employment rates than peers with similar education levels, as reported in the Journal of Economic Perspectives.
These numbers are not simply statistics. They represent thousands of young Georgians whose potential is being lost because they lack the resources and support to pursue education and training. And the consequences extend beyond individual lives. Georgia needs skilled workers. Our employers need nurses, welders, IT specialists, early childhood educators, logistics technicians and more. When foster youth fall through the cracks, our workforce loses talent we cannot afford to waste.
There is also a strong connection between foster care and involvement with the legal system. A 2025 study in Child Abuse & Neglect found that more than 30% of youth who exited foster care at age 17 or later had already spent time in a correctional or detention facility by age 17, and more than 40% were incarcerated by age 20. Nationally, 17% of all state and federal prisoners have spent time in a foster home, agency or institution.
We know that incarceration dramatically reduces the likelihood of earning a degree, holding a steady job or achieving financial stability. But we also know that education — especially technical education — can interrupt that cycle.
That is why I am so proud of students like Hannah Womack, a 23-year-old at Central Georgia Technical College. Womack spent seven years in foster care and moved through 17 placements. Despite her determination, the financial realities of adulthood forced her to work multiple restaurant jobs just to survive. A higher education felt out of reach.
Georgia’s new foster care tax credit changed that. Through the nonprofit Fostering Success Act Inc., Georgians can redirect a portion of their state tax liability to support young adults like Womack who have transitioned out of foster care. These donations fund grants that help students pay for essentials such as rent, utilities, transportation, food and other costs that often derail their education.
For Womack, this support meant she could enroll in our nursing program last May. She is now on track to earn her RN degree and plans to continue on to a bachelor’s in nursing. Her dream is to work in a neonatal unit — a dream that once felt impossible but is now within reach. “This tax credit arrived when I needed it the most,” said the single mother of three young children. “I don’t think I would be anywhere good without it.”
When we help foster youth access technical education, we are not simply offering financial assistance. We are investing in Georgia’s workforce, strengthening our communities, and giving young people the chance to build the futures they deserve. At TCSG, we see what is possible when opportunity meets determination. Students like Womack remind us why this work matters.
Georgians who want to be part of this solution can do so easily by participating in the foster care tax credit through the Fostering Success Act.
Greg Dozier is commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia, which serves more than 159,000 students who are enrolled in more than 600 programs across 22 colleges and online platforms.
If you have any thoughts about this item, or if you’re interested in writing an op-ed for the AJC’s education page, drop us a note ateducation@ajc.com.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
