What would be different if you're elected?
● I think the first thing that I would have to do as labor commissioner is, I would have to understand the budget. What are the processes and programs that we have in place that are successful, which are not and how do we then refine programs that are running well and make them better and how do we get rid of programs which are not running well and create new programs for what’s happening today in the state and the country
What should be the focus right now?
● I think the labor department should focus in 2010 on re-employment. I don’t think that we can afford to have a half a million people unemployed ... we've really got to train them on how to do jobs.
● What the labor commissioner should be doing, and they are doing it, but I will amplify it, is this real strategic partnership with vocational and technical schools. I will use training dollars strategically with them to help train those who are unemployed.
● It really is about how do we minimize ... people having to come and get unemployment to how do we put them in jobs to have long-term sustainable careers. People inevitably are going to lose their jobs … you’re going to have a natural turnover rate. I'm not trying to avoid that. When you have that, it may be an opportunity to retrain people for different skills.
What will get Georgians back to work?
● Ideally, I would like the labor commissioner's office to be a major search firm for any corporation that comes to Georgia. Today, I don't know that we've thought that way.
● We really do focus on the big companies as we provide incentives to companies to locate here. There are a lot of people today who’re unemployed who’re starting their own businesses. I think the labor department should be finding ways to help small businesses be successful.
● This will have to be vetted through the legal process, but ... we provide unemployment benefits to those that are unemployed. If you start a small business, you no longer get those unemployment benefits. Wouldn’t it be creative and outside of the box if we found ways to continue to help provide unemployment benefits for some period of time until you get your small business off the ground.
What's facing Georgia's work force short-term?
● It’s going to be tough. With the unemployment rate being as high as it is, with our unemployment fund being, in effect, insolvent -- we're borrowing money now -- it’s going to be very difficult. It will be easy for someone to try to walk in and fix that on the back of corporations. I think there has to be a balance, there has to be a real effort around job creation, knowing how to do that and, at the same time, (urging) small business creation
● I think we will never be the same again. I think we’re going to have to figure out what new jobs are on the horizon. Will the construction market come back? I am not so sure it will come back at the level it was. The work force that was there, or wanted to be there, they’re going to have to figure out what else they’re going to do. A lot of them are doing career changes; as more people do career changes, we’re going to have different types of jobs and we’re going to have to train differently
● Everything I’m saying really gets back to this training and having the understanding of what’s on the horizon. If we think of it as half-full, it really is a good time for us to reinvent ourselves and do something different. If we don’t do it, we’re going to lose the battle of creating jobs, we’re going to lose the battle of educating our kids ... of moving people around our state
The Darryl Hicks file
Education: MBA, executive management, Georgia State University. Bachelor's in accounting, Morris Brown College
Experience: Owner and operator of a family business. Former chief of staff for the Fulton County Commission chairman. Spent 20 years as an executive with AGL Resources, including stints as operations manager, director of customer service, assistant to the chairman and CEO and director of government relations
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