(a) The State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Technical College System of Georgia, shall facilitate and encourage industry credentialing for career, technical, and agricultural education programs utilizing existing career pathways and individual college and career plans. Further, local school systems are authorized and encouraged to align competency based career education, along with enhanced work based learning experiences, as provided for in Code Section 20-2-161.2, to facilitate and make available to students opportunities to receive industry credentialing in programs included in the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board as provided in Code Section 34-14-3.

(b) No later than December 31, 2018, and annually thereafter, the Department of Education shall produce a return-on-investment report to the State Workforce Development Board and the Office of Planning and Budget as related to grant funds provided for in subsection (j) Code Section 20-2-260. Such report shall include the current and projected regional business and industry needs for the purpose of establishing annual goals and strategies to increase attainment rates of industry credentialing, including the development of additional industry credentials to enhance current industry certified programs.