Since its inception in 1967, the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Basic Economic Development Course (BEDC) has prepared more than 3,100 economic developers from around the world for the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) certification exam. The certification is considered an essential component of a career in economic development.
The BEDC, a joint offering of the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2) and the Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE), celebrates its 50th year in 2017. The initiative educates participants on the fundamentals and emerging concepts of comprehensive economic development. This 50th anniversary event being held from March 21 to March 24, focuses on economic resilience and building capacity for strong communities, features Rodrick Miller, CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and economic resilience expert, as keynote speaker.
As part of the course, participants will explore 10 core economic development subject areas, ranging from marketing to ethics. They will also network with peers and learn about best practices from some of the nation’s leading economic development experts.
“Through the BEDC, participants have learned ways to create wealth for individuals, business and communities, and to promote economic well-being and an improved quality of life for their communities,” said Leigh Hopkins, BEDC course administrator. “Georgia Tech has equipped thousands of economic developers with the tools and skills needed to address problems such as unemployment, poor quality of life and post-disaster economic recovery.”
The BEDC is one of many professional development courses and certifications working professionals can take at GTPE. “As the lifelong learning arm of Georgia Tech, we have been serving the needs of adult learners for over a century by bringing innovative, impactful programs tailored to their needs,” said Nelson Baker, dean of GTPE.
In addition to the BEDC, economic developers can take other IEDC courses this April, June, August, and November at GTPE.
About Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE)
Georgia Tech Professional Education, an academic division of the Georgia Institute of Technology, offers professional development courses, certificate programs and master’s degrees in a variety of formats to meet the needs of working professionals and industry partners in STEM and business fields worldwide. We educate over 22,000 individual learners representing close to 3,000 companies annually. For more information, visit pe.gatech.edu.
About the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2)
The Enterprise Innovation Institute is Georgia Tech’s business outreach organization and serves as the primary vehicle to achieve Georgia Tech’s goal of expanded local, regional, and global outreach. Its core mission is to help business, industry, entrepreneurs, and economic developers across Georgia grow and remain competitive. For more information, visit innovate.gatech.edu.