OAKWOOD — King's Hawaiian Bakery is working to get a running start on 95 jobs at its new Oakwood plant.

The California-based company signed a job training agreement Wednesday morning with Georgia Quick Start and Lanier Technical College to help crank up bakery and distribution operations this fall.

The plant will be in the Oakwood South Industrial Park off McEver Road.

Company and college officials gathered for the signing ceremony in the president's conference room at Lanier Tech. Community leaders, including ones from the city of Oakwood and the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, also attended.

The training plan "lays out the schedule of classes, the types of programs we're going to do and King's Hawaiian's timelines," said Russell Vandiver, Lanier Tech president. "The dates and so forth are all determined by the company.

"And so, when the plant is ready to go, the training will have been prepared and, in some ways, completed."

Stanley Shaffer, vice president of manufacturing for King's Hawaiian, said the company plans to begin testing equipment on Sept. 15 and begin full-scale operations Oct. 15.

"By that time, Quick Start will have the first shift completely trained," he said.

The Technical College System of Georgia sponsors Quick Start as a way qualified businesses can get free customized workforce training.

"It's designed to (spur) job creation," said Michael Grundmann, director of Northern operations for Quick Start. "When companies like King's Hawaiian are looking at states (for locating operations) ... one of the things they (consider) is which state provides the best training support," he said.

"When you're starting up a new facility, that is one of the most critical aspects," Grundmann said.

Then, glancing at King's Hawaiian officials — dressed in traditional Hawaiian shirts bearing the company's logo — he added, "We're glad you chose Georgia. You made the right decision. This ceremony is about celebrating our partnership."

Area officials announced in September King's Hawaiian was coming to Hall County.

At the time, Oakwood Mayor Lamar Scroggs said "the seeds of this new business were planted long ago and have been nurtured with a partnership" between Oakwood, Hall County, the chamber and Pattillo Industrial Real Estate.

"This picture just says it all," he said Wednesday, referring to an artist drawing of the new plant on the ceremony program.

"We're just honored to have Lanier Tech, Quick Start and King's Hawaiian and to draw people like them to the community," Scroggs added. "That's what we're all about."

Vandiver referred to King's Hawaiian as "a crown jewel in economic development."

"We're looking forward to a long-term relationship," he said. "We hope you hire a lot of our graduates ... and that we provide training for you for a long period of time."

Jackie Rohosky, head of Quick Start, said, "We're proud to be able to support King's Hawaiian at this innovative, world-class facility.

"Along with Lanier Technical College, we share the goal of a successful, growing King's Hawaiian operation in Georgia," added Rohosky, also the Technical College System of Georgia's assistant commissioner of economic development programs.