Albany CEO Spotlights ATC Deans

Hi, I am Tomekia Cooper, Academic Dean for the General Education and Professional Services Division. The programs in my area include Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling, Culinary Arts, Design and Media Technology, Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism Management, and General Core Education classes.

The Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling degree program trains students to provide counseling to people struggling with various forms of addiction and their families. This program is perfect for those with a passion for helping others in their fight against addiction. In November, we held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a brand-new Substance Abuse Counseling classroom and lab.

Next is the Culinary Arts program, which trains students in the art of food preparation. This program is great for those who love cooking and express themselves through food. Currently, a new restaurant is under construction in our Culinary Arts area. The new restaurant will feature gourmet and southern cuisine menu items, and will be open to the public.

Then, there is the Design and Media program, which trains students in the art of photography, digital and print media, and video and film editing. Students in the program are trained using the latest media equipment and software, which includes the Adobe Suite. This program is great for creative individuals.

Additionally, the Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism Management program trains students to manage hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies. This is a wonderful program for those interested in hospitality management or event planning. The program can be completed 100% online.

Finally, there are the General Core Education classes. These classes can be completed online, face-to-face, or on the weekend. Weekend College is an initiative designed to help busy, working individuals, and high school students achieve their academic goals by completing their core and some of their program classes on the weekend.

For more information about these programs, call Albany Technical College at (229) 4303500 and ask for Ms. Cooper.

I’m Tracy Wallace, Dean of Continuing Education at Albany Technical College. In the Economic Development Division at Albany Tech, our goal is to provide employers with the training their employees need to do their jobs better, and also to provide individuals with careerbuilding skills.

Healthcare careers are booming! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 13 percent between now and 2031. Many individuals in our region may aspire to a career in the healthcare industry, but don’t have a clear path to get there. Continuing Education may provide that path.

The Economic Development Division at Albany Tech provides continuing education, non-credit online healthcare courses through our partners, Cengage Learning and Career Step. Non-credit Continuing Ed courses could be the perfect option for people who don’t need or want college credit. Many individuals simply need the training and marketable credentials or certifications to succeed in a healthcare job.

Online courses are a convenient format for many people. Cengage Ed2Go and Career Step are both reputable, established providers of online education. Through Ed2Go, Albany Tech offers 69 health-related training programs, ranging in length from 6 to 18 months. Many of these programs culminate in a certification exam.

Career Step offers six online courses in high-demand healthcare careers. Most can be completed in less than a year.

Standard financial aid does not apply to Continuing Ed noncredit courses. The good news is that at Albany Tech, funding assistance may be available for these courses. You can change your life and obtain a rewarding career helping others by training to enter a healthcare field. Non-credit, online training could be the way you make it happen.

To find out more about these programs and potential funding sources, call us at 229430-3867 or visit our website.