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Georgia businesses call for more technical-college training in e-commerce skills
Summary
Manufacturers and consultants told the committee that the shift to online marketplaces has created a local skills gap in product photography, short-form copy, SEO and marketplace management; speakers recommended technical-college partnerships and cited Helium 10's "Freedom Ticket" course as an existing example.
Manufacturers and business consultants told the Small Business Development committee that the growth of online marketplaces has created a local skills gap that technical colleges and workforce programs should address.
A manufacturer based in Tucker, Georgia, described the shift from traditional retail to online marketplaces and the new demands that creates for small firms: "When we sell at retail, we've gotta be able to tell the story in 3 seconds, 5 seconds... But as soon as we move to online, we've gotta be able to share that story through images, through video, through text," the speaker said.
The witness said that many technical colleges currently teach older digital-marketing skills such as basic search-engine optimization and email marketing, while online marketplaces require short-form copy, product photography, video, and marketplace-specific tools. The speaker recommended industry-specific training and said firms increasingly hire overseas contractors for marketplace work because local programs are not yet producing the needed skills.
Practical example: a member of the panel recommended Helium 10 (helium10.com) and its "Freedom Ticket" training as an existing online course that covers product selection, legalities, returns, advertising and marketplace operations. "It's an 8-week course, and she did it in 3 weeks," the witness said of a staff member who completed the program.
Why it matters: Witnesses argued that building local training for online-product content, listing optimization and marketplace tools would create jobs, keep production and packaging local, and help Georgia manufacturers move to higher-value work that includes fulfillment, assembly and distribution.
Ending: Speakers asked lawmakers to encourage technical colleges and workforce partners to adopt marketplace-specific curricula and to support programs that connect online-sales training with manufacturing and distribution jobs in Georgia.
