Georgia’s Big Tide Summit 2025 To Help Thousands Of Students Launch AI And Tech Careers

More than 3,000 high school students from across coastal Georgia will come together for Big Tide Summit 2025, an ambitious statewide initiative designed to prepare the next generation for careers in AI, technology, and S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

Now in its third year, the summit has grown into a major career-building event, offering hands-on training, networking, scholarships, and direct job connections to students across 10 counties.

Taking place on April 11 at the Savannah Convention Center, the summit provides a unique opportunity for students to engage with Fortune 500 companies, colleges, and trade schools in a real-world, on-the-job learning environment. Since its inception, Big Tide Summit has impacted over 4,000 students, helping to build a workforce pipeline for Georgias expanding industries.

New to this years summit is the launch of the GO BIG Career Fund, which will award scholarships of $500-$1,500 to graduating seniors pursuing careers in trade industries or higher education. Applications for the scholarships, found at bigtide.org/go-big-career-fund, are due by March 31, 2025, and winners will be announced at the event.

“We build the future,” said Robert Gould, Founder of Big Tide Summit. “With the anticipation of over 15,000 new jobs in 2025 needed to support the economic infrastructure of the Southeast in STEAM — BIG TIDE is here to catapult the career development and trajectories of thousands of students across the region. We are building leaders who can perform in industries and lead communities forward.”

The 2025 summit is backed by major sponsors, including Gulfstream, HJ Russell & Company, Comcast, Coca-Cola, and Georgia Tech. These companies recognize the importance of fostering a skilled workforce to support Georgias infrastructure, AI innovation, and technology growth.

“Big Tide builds big futures,” said Michael Russell, CEO of HJ Russell & Company. “It has been an honor for HJ Russell & Company to be a proud partner of the statewide BIG TIDE SUMMIT initiative. As infrastructure, real estate, and development continue to advance at an exponential rate across the State of Georgia it is crucial that we build a qualified workforce to support that growth. BIG TIDE is building the careers and futures of thousands of workforce champions who can take on the technical and service skills that surround diverse industries across the State of Georgia and Region.”

Students will also hear from an impressive lineup of speakers and industry leaders, including: Ivy McGregor, CEO of IVYInc and Executive Director of the BeyGood Foundation; Dr. Domenic Scalamogna, Naval Flight Surgeon, Piedmont Health System of Atlanta; Terrell Jones, celebrity fashion designer and stylist; and Deanna Colon, award-winning songwriter, producer, and actress.

Attendees can also earn on-the-spot certifications in high-demand fields such as artificial intelligence and environmental science through partnerships with Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern University, and Augusta University.