The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce is taking a new approach to creating new jobs in Atlanta. 

Instead of focusing most of its efforts recruiting companies to locate to metro Atlanta, Chamber President Sam Williams says it will look at expanding companies already here.

He says the Metro Chamber has recruited 7,000 new jobs over the last year, but that number should be 50,000 to 60,000 jobs in order to improve the economy.

 “We’re still going to work on relocations, but we realize that those companies here today and the startups… they’re the real future of what our economy can be,” he tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish.

Williams says companies are not moving around as much as they did 10 or 20 years ago making it more important to concentrate on existing businesses.

“They will create ten times the growth of moving companies here from somewhere else,” he says.

Williams says it’s also important for businesses to partner with the metro area’s colleges and universities on how to grow jobs and create start-up companies with their graduate students.