The Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) is cosponsored statewide by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the State Board of Technical and Adult Education. GOAL is cosponsored locally by The Optimist Club of Augusta and Augusta Technical College. The GOAL Program seeks to give recognition annually to the State's outstanding postsecondary technical students and to stimulate public interest in the importance of technical education.

These are the main objectives of the GOAL Program:

1. To spotlight the importance of technical education in modern society
2. To reward students who excel in learning a skill
3. To encourage pride in workmanship
4. To generate greater respect and appreciation for the working person
5. To emphasize the dignity of work in today's society

All full-time associate degree and diploma program students who have completed one or more quarters at the time of nomination are eligible to compete in the GOAL Program. Instructors select and nominate their outstanding students. From these nominations, a committee chooses four outstanding students from the degree and diploma programs. Finally, the College winner, chosen from the four finalists, is selected to compete in the annual statewide GOAL competition in Atlanta. The College winner must be enrolled full-time during state competition.