Talent Pipeline Magazine 2022

2022

TALENT PIPELINE

Revving Up Georgia’s automotive industry is getting set for the future with a skilled pipeline of employees The Coca-Cola Company Pledges $1 Million for CDL Program

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Custom Made Ogeechee Technical College provides specialized industrial maintenance training to support manufacturing’s new direction Talent Pipeline Magazine | 1

BUILDING GEORGIA’S Full page advertisement It’s Go Time

OF

WORKFORCE TOMORROW LAUNCHING APPRENTICESHIPS 990+ apprentices employed in 35 high-skilled occupations.

SKILLING UP A DIVERSE WORKFORCE 5700+ workers connected to employer-driven training programs.

STRENGTHENING TALENT PIPELINES $9.2 Million invested into regional industry partnerships connecting classroom to career.

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learn more at WorkSourceGeorgia.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Alumni Spotlight

Revving Up

Lauren Clark, Associate of Science in Nursing (RN) Wiregrass Georgia Technical College ‘15

Georgia’s automotive industry is getting set for the future with a skilled pipeline of employees

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Custom Made Ogeechee Technical College provides specialized industrial maintenance training to support manufacturing’s new direction

26 College Spotlights

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Features Commissioner’s Column. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04 One on One with Trey Sheppard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05 Recognitions and Distinctions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06 Training on the GO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Coca-Cola Puts Commercial Truck Drivers on the Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 In Memoriam: Dr. Anthony O. Parker (1953 – 2022) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 TCSG Impact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

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Commissioner’s Column

Administration Gregory C. Dozier Commissioner

S

ince assuming the role of Commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) in 2020, I have seen the tremendous impact that the 22 colleges of TCSG make every day all across our great state. It is no secret that Georgia has become the No. 1 state in the nation to do business (eight years running!) and one reason why is because of our skilled workforce. Our colleges work hand in hand with business and industry to ensure the programs being taught align with local workforce needs. We have countless examples of how our colleges are creating a pipeline of skilled talent for employers in Georgia and we wanted to spread the word! So, I am excited to unveil the first issue of TCSG’s Talent Pipeline Magazine!

This annual publication will take a deep dive into some of TCSG’s exciting workforce development initiatives from a system perspective as well as from the local colleges that are doing the work on the ground. We will highlight happenings in Adult Education, the Office of Workforce Development, and the TCSG Foundation, among others. You will meet TCSG Alumni to learn how their education at one of our colleges has transformed their lives. You will also hear from our State Board members to gain their perspective on the importance of TCSG to the state.

In this inaugural issue, you will read about how our colleges are supporting a growing automotive industry in the feature story “Revving Up.” In our “Custom Made” piece, we examine how Ogeechee Technical College is supporting the manufacturing industry through training on state-of-the-art equipment. You will also learn about the $1 million donation from The Coca-Cola Company to support our CDL programs at five colleges. In addition, you will learn about what each of our colleges is doing to develop that skilled workforce for local industry in their respective communities.

It is certainly an exciting time to be living and working here in Georgia! As always, we thank you for your continued support of technical education in Georgia and hope you enjoy this first issue of Talent Pipeline Magazine!

Laura Boalch Chief of Staff Josh McKoon General Counsel Steven Ferguson CIO, Information Technology & Data Resources Matt Dollar Deputy Commissioner Economic Development Karen Kirchler Deputy Commissioner Workforce Development Ray Perren Deputy Commissioner Technical Education Jackie Rohosky Deputy Commissioner Quick Start Derek Dabrowiak Assistant Commissioner Student Affairs & SEI Dr. Cayanna Good Assistant Commissioner Adult Education Penni Haberly Assistant Commissioner Administrative Services Kathryn Hornsby Assistant Commissioner Technical Education Scott McMurray Assistant Commissioner Quick Start Mark Peevy Assistant Commissioner External Affairs & Facilities

Gregory C. Dozier Commissioner

Talent Pipeline Magazine Mark D’Alessio Editor-in-Chief Karen Kirkpatrick Copy Editor Christy Simo Contributing Writer

TCSG.edu

Sarah Lawrence Graphic Designer Daemon Baizan Photographer

On the cover: Joel Mercado is a Gwinnett Technical College student enrolled in the MercedesBenz Automotive program who also works at Mercedes-Benz of Athens.

Copyright (C)Pipeline 2022 Technical College System of Georgia. All rights reserved.

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One on One

TREY SHEPPARD with

Trey Sheppard, chair of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) from the 10th Congressional District, is vice president of Howard Sheppard Inc., a family owned trucking business in Sandersville. Sheppard’s tenure on the TCSG State Board began July 2, 2012. He became chair in January 2022. These are edited highlights from an interview.

Tell us about your company, Howard Sheppard.

Howard Sheppard is a family owned trucking company. It is a third generation company. It started in the kaolin industry and has diversified over the last 78 years to do more imports and exports out of the ports of Savannah and Jacksonville. We do a lot of liquid and bulk chemical tank deliveries and currently still do mining for kaolin.

How did you become interested in serving on the TCSG Board?

I am a proud graduate of Technical College System of Georgia. Once I graduated from college, I went to Oconee Fall Line Technical College and earned my CDL [commercial driver’s license].

I have been active with our local technical college since graduation. I have served on the [state] Foundation Board and local Board. All of our colleges do a great job changing to the needs of the local community and industry. I know I have seen that in Sandersville at Oconee Fall Line Technical College.

Most colleges do not offer a mining and safety training program, but it was needed in Sandersville, and they now offer it for the local workforce.

What excites you most about TCSG? Workforce development! I love that any person can graduate from high school and have a clear pathway to go 2022

to a technical college to learn a skill that they will really enjoy. There really is no reason for someone NOT to know about our technical college system; we are everywhere. TCSG offers a path forward to a better life and many programs are tuition free.

How does workforce development affect the trucking industry?

Commercial truck drivers are in high demand. There is a large shortage nationally, but here in Georgia, it is worse with the large growth of the Port of Savannah. Workforce development, as far as training truck drivers, is very important. Trucking has changed a lot over the last several years. Trucking was known as a dirty job, where you were gone for days or even months at a time. That is not the case anymore. Now these vehicles are very nice and extremely high tech and computerized. Most of the time truck drivers can be home every night. Trucking is now a more appealing industry for people to enter into. It is growing in Georgia along with the demand. It fits right into the training that TCSG is offering at most of its colleges.

We are also really struggling to find diesel mechanics.

How does the work you are doing at TCSG impact smaller communities like your hometown of Sandersville?

The impact that TCSG has in smaller communities is huge. Our colleges find people and give them a skill set that they can use in the workforce. Adult education is very important in these small rural communities, too. Some of our rural communities have the highest high school dropout rates, so to give students a chance to come back to earn their high school equivalency and continue their education serves a big role in these communities.

What is something you wish more people knew about TCSG? Everyone in this state has an opportunity to learn a skill that is meaningful and that they enjoy. It is possible for anyone. It used to be that a fouryear college was your only option, but now everyone has a pathway forward to learning a skill and making a meaningful impact on society. I also wish that everyone knew how affordable it was.

You can get a great education for very low cost.

What is a piece of advice you have received and still use to this day?

Always put God and family first. Treat people with respect and treat them how you would like to be treated. Be kind to people and always work hard. Hard work beats talent 99% of the time.

Smaller communities struggle the most at trying to find skilled workers.

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RECOGNITIONS AND DISTINCTIONS Georgia Trend magazine names TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier to its 100 Most Influential Georgians “Dozier leads TCSG’s mission to provide Georgia businesses with a highly trained, skilled workforce. Recent progress includes a collaboration with the Georgia Department of Education that allows high school students to receive TCSG college credits for certain career, technical, and agricultural education courses, plus construction of a $5.8 million regional logistics and transportation training center at Georgia Piedmont Technical College.” – Georgia Trend

TCSG’s Derek Dabrowiak wins Ventana Research Digital Leadership Award Dabrowiak, assistant commissioner for student affairs and secondary initiatives, was named the winner in the Customer Experience category. The 14th Annual Digital Leadership Awards recognize individuals and companies that have embraced the use of technology to help them lead their organizations and optimize the readiness across their people, processes, information, and technology to grow their business impact and industry potential.

The Customer Experience award recognizes the organization and technology that best exemplifies leadership in applications and technologies that support the engagement with customers for any purpose. Dabrowiak was recognized for his leadership in collaborating with tech partners Salesforce and TargetX to improve the customer experience.

TCSG’s Pascael Beaudette Named Data and Analytics Leader of the Year Beaudette, executive director of research and business intelligence, was named the Data and Analytics Leader of the Year for Innovation by the Leadership Excellence Awards committee. This award recognizes outstanding executives in data-related roles, who demonstrate exemplary leadership through real-world achievements in their field.

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Student Wins 2022 GOAL Award Ryan Degner, a welding and joining technology student from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, was chosen as this year’s Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner.

As the grand prize winner, Ryan received a brand new, made-in-Georgia, 2022 KIA K5, courtesy of KIA Georgia.

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“Succeed Sooner” campaign brings success The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations presented its Gold Medallion Award to the Communications Office at TCSG for its “Succeed Sooner” marketing campaign, which is directed at high school students and their influencers. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in design and communication.

Area Development magazine names Georgia the “Top State for Doing Business” for the eighth year in a row The publication’s annual poll of leading site-consulting firms from across the U.S. considers 13 different factors to make this determination. In addition to top state, Georgia earned a No. 1 ranking in five categories, including workforce development programs.

Gwinnett Technical College Instructor Wins 2022 Rick Perkins Award Jeffrey White, a physics instructor from Gwinnett Technical College, was chosen as the winner of the 2022 Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction.

“It’s GO Time” Video Series Wins Gold in 43rd Annual Telly Awards TCSG’s Adult Education video series “It’s GO Time” won the Gold Award in the Social Video – Series: Education & Discovery category in the 43rd Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens and are judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks, and production companies.

Oconee Fall Line Technical College Student Wins Adult Education Student of the Year Award Rochelle White was named the 2022 Dinah Culbreath Wayne Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) Award winner for outstanding achievement in the state’s adult education program.

Augusta Technical College Instructor Wins Adult Education Teacher of the Year Award Devlynn Taylor from Augusta Technical College was named the 2022 Outstanding Adult Education Teacher of the Year.

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CUSTOM MADE

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Industrial Maintenance Fast Track Program trainees Katherine Cole and Christopher Wise 2022

Ogeechee Technical College provides specialized industrial maintenance training to support manufacturing’s new direction

By Christy Simo

I

f you think of manufacturing and picture dirty, dangerous jobs, it’s time to erase that image. Gone are the days of the hazardous production floor. Today’s facilities are sleek and modernized, with automated robotics handling the most challenging work.

“It’s not the dirty, dingy job that it used to be,” said Ogeechee Technical College (OTC) President Lori Durden. “A lot of these facilities are state of the art, highly automated, with very technical kinds of jobs inside these plants now.”

According to the International Federation of Robotics, the number of industrial robots worldwide is growing by around 14% annually. Along with this increase in automation, the nature of manufacturing jobs is changing, and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) is changing right along with it.

With technology ever evolving, it’s crucial that employees have the most current knowledge and skills when working with robotics on the manufacturing floor. That’s where TCSG comes in.

Colleges like Ogeechee Tech in Statesboro are launching new programs and initiatives in partnership with some of the biggest companies in the world to create a skilled workforce for businesses here in Georgia and around the country.

And that’s crucial now more than ever.

“There’s a labor crisis, not just in Georgia, but in this country right now. There’s help wanted signs everywhere,” Durden said. “People need skilled employees. By partnering, not just with Ogeechee Tech, but any Technical College System college in Georgia, companies can help take control of growing their own workforce.”

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Strong Partnerships TCSG’s primary goal is to support the state’s economic ecosystem. For eight consecutive years, Georgia has been named the No. 1 state to do business with, according to Site Selection magazine, and a big part of that is because of TCSG and its initiatives to support Georgia’s businesses.

“At the end of the day, that’s what we’re here for,” said Jan Moore, vice president for economic development for OTC. “Our job is to make sure that we serve our industries by meeting their training needs. In doing so, they have the skilled employees that are integral to their success, which is a critical factor in the continued stabilization of our local economy and the success of our workforce.

One way TCSG is accomplishing that goal when it comes to robotics is by partnering with specific companies to provide customized training programs.

If you work in manufacturing, you’re familiar with FANUC America Corp. It’s the world leader in industrial robotics, supplying robots, computer numerical control (CNC) systems, and factory automation to manufacturing companies around the country.

There are hundreds of manufacturers in Georgia that use FANUC robotics for their manufacturing lines.

Briggs & Stratton, which manufactures small engines for power generation, lawn, and garden turf care in Statesboro, for example, uses more than 65 FANUC robots throughout its facility.

Working with FANUC robotics requires a specific skill set, and companies must send their employees to one of 15 FANUC Authorized Satellite Training (FAST) sites scattered throughout the United States to ensure they are up to date on the skills needed to maintain these complex robotics. But until recently, there were no such sites here in Georgia. Ogeechee Tech set about to change that.

After a three-year process, OTC became a FAST site in November 2020. It’s an exclusive club – OTC is one of only four colleges in the U.S. that hosts a FANUC training facility and is the only site in Georgia.

Now, manufacturers don’t have to send their employees outside the state to be trained, incurring the financial costs that entails. Instead, they can travel to Statesboro to receive their initial robotics training and certifications. Plus, companies in neighboring states can send employees to be trained at OTC as well.

The FANUC robotics training takes place in the college’s Industrial Technology Building, which opened in 2019. Along with the FANUC Robotics Lab, the building is also home to several of OTC’s industrial programs and houses its high-tech Amatrol Industrial Maintenance Training Lab.

Ogeechee Tech is one of only four colleges in the U.S. with a FANUC training facility.

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2022

Meeting Demand

Ogeechee Technical College President Lori Durden

Industrial Maintenance Fast Track Program trainee Alonzo Evans Jr.

With technology ever evolving, it’s crucial that employees have the most current knowledge and skills when working with robotics on the manufacturing floor.

That’s where TCSG comes in.

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As consumers order more items online, especially during the pandemic, companies such as Amazon have established fulfillment centers throughout Georgia to ensure fast one- to two-day delivery – there are more than 30 in metro Atlanta alone. Every one of those facilities need employees to maintain the robotics that pick and choose people’s orders in the warehouses. That’s where OTC stepped in.

Ogeechee Tech was invited to apply to be a certified Amazon Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship (MRA) training provider, and after a rigorous process, was selected in 2021 as one of only five colleges in the country. The other four training partner colleges are in Indiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

The program, which is registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, is a 12week intensive training course that provides the industrial maintenance skills and the technical knowledge needed as a technical maintenance employee with Amazon, at no cost to the participants.

Apprentices who complete the training – which includes four certification exams – begin a year of on-the-job learning with Amazon, after which they are eligible for a full-time role as a mechatronics junior technician. According to Amazon, those who complete the full MRA program can see an increase of nearly 40% in pay.

“It’s a win for them, too,” Durden said. “It makes them a better employee, a more valuable employee, and it gives them the opportunity to provide for their family.”

The first group of apprentices started in March 2021. The college subsequently trained three additional cohorts in 2021, and welcomed its fifth cohort of 32 students from around the country, from California to Connecticut, this past January.

Offering Full Access While the FANUC Robotics Training Lab and the Amazon MRA are highly specialized training provided in partnership with specific companies, Ogeechee Tech also offers a more comprehensive option for any company that wishes to train new or existing employees on the latest skills to keep them up-to-date

and competitive in today’s economy.

“People are continuing to demand goods and services. They may be receiving them a different way, but however they’re receiving them, there is still manufacturing automation behind all of it,” Moore said. “If you look at reports of robotics sales … the demand is through the roof.”

At the same time, the people traditionally trained in industrial maintenance – in essence, the people trained to keep the machines running – are aging out of the workforce.

“The employees that have been doing this for the last 20 to 30 years are retiring, and it is very difficult to find skilled individuals to replace them,” Moore said.

Encouraging people to join the industrial maintenance workforce when they may not even be familiar with the term can be a challenge.

“Companies have to be creative on how they attract employees these days.

It’s not as simple as just posting an ad and lots of people apply,” Durden said.

“They’ve got to take an active role in upskilling their existing employees. We can help them do that.”

To meet that demand, OTC established the groundbreaking Full Access Industrial Maintenance Training program in January 2020.

Rather than requiring companies to pay by the course when training employees, the program instead provides full access to the college’s industrial maintenance training services for an annual fee. Companies then have access to any training module – or can create their own – for a set cost per year, including access to trainings inside OTC’s state-of-the-art industrial maintenance lab facilities, as well as on-site training at its participating manufacturing plants.

“It does two things. One, it allows our manufacturers to do a line item in their budget, like a subscription, where they know they can manage their training costs year in and year out,” Moore said. “Secondly, it allows the college to train more individuals at a time, because we don’t necessarily have to tailor the training to an individual company for something basic. We can have companies send their employees to train as part of a larger cohort.”

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Companies can train at their own pace, place employees in apprenticeship programs, take advantage of pre-employment and post-employment screening and assessment programs, and participate in short courses in electrical, motor controls PLCs, and other specialties as needed.

One company that has enrolled in the full-access program is JTEKT North America Corp. Its Sylvania facility produces ball bearings for the automotive, industrial aftermarket, and aerospace industries and employs 437 people.

The company has been a partner with OTC for several years, so when the college launched the full access program, they were immediately on board.

“Part of our responsibility is to ensure the success of our employees, putting them in the right jobs to ensure success and offering them these opportunities to upscale their knowledge and training, and the OTC program helps do that,” said Bobby Jones, materials/manufacturing manager for JTEKT’s Sylvania plant. “That program keeps up with the changes to technology.

It keeps us relevant.”

In its first year, the program was limited to six manufacturers, and it continues to grow, adding both instructors and classes customized to manufacturers’ requests.

“The industrial systems full access program that OTC provides has been a game changer for us here,” Jones said. “OTC is able to tailor to our technical needs. The training classes are even customized down to a company level. So that’s been extremely advantageous to us.”

Bill Stuart, human resources manager for JTEKT North America Corp., notes that the employees who are trained through the full access program come back to JTEKT not just with new skills, but with a renewed dedication and outlook.

“They’re excited again,” he said. “This opportunity provides them a way to step up to a different level quicker.”

“They see us as an employer investing in them and in their future,” Jones adds.

Durden agrees that there are many reasons why a company should participate in the full-access program.

“It gives them control over helping to grow and groom a workforce,” Durden said.

“They know that we’re here as a resource for them. So it’s a win-win for sure.”

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Providing Local Support The 22 technical colleges around the state of Georgia are part of the fabric of their local communities, and that’s no different for Ogeechee Tech. For the past 10 years, the college has participated in a monthly economic development working group, comprised of representatives from 14 regional stakeholders and 19 local businesses representing some 5,000 employees, to ensure it is meeting local manufacturers’ needs.

“The technical college’s mission is to go in and meet their manufacturers, their business and industry partners, where they are. And you need to assess, what are your training needs? Can we meet all of your training needs?” Moore said.

“The technical college, from a training standpoint, is a backbone of every community that it serves.”

When business owners expressed there was a need for more skilled industrial maintenance employees several years ago, OTC sprang into action. The FANUC training program, Amazon MRA, and the Full Access Industrial Maintenance Training Program all evolved from those initial conversations.

The college is also flexible, making sure to offer training in multiple ways that can be adapted to each company’s needs.

That includes two new academic programs for manufacturing engineering technology assistants geared toward highschool aged dual-enrollment students. The certificates lead to a degree in industrial systems technology and are just another way TCSG is dedicated to creating a skilled industrial manufacturing workforce pipeline.

“Local manufacturers and industries desperately need individuals with these skills, and you can’t limit it as to how they get those skills,” Moore said. “Do they need to get them on the non-credit side, through structured, short-term trainings? Do they need to get those skills through the credit side by earning a certificate, diploma, or degree? … To truly address the need, we need to be as flexible as we possibly can by providing pathways that complement one another.”

“The great thing about the Technical College System is how nimble we are,” Durden said. “We can start up a program relatively quickly. That is certainly what is going to keep us relevant in the years to come.”

For now, OTC will continue to listen to its local businesses and keep providing the training and educational opportunities needed to support the surrounding economy.

“The dedication and passion that OTC has had for supporting the area’s industries and keeping the technology offering for training there, it’s been great. I can’t speak too highly,” JTEKT’s Jones said. “It’s really been a great process.”

Former Fast Track trainees and current JTEKT employees Jason Corbin (l.) and Josh Gay 2022

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Students at Georgia Piedmont Technical College participate in a Certified Nursing Assistant Training on the GO program.

TRAINING ON THE GO

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dult Education students have the opportunity to participate in workforce training while completing their studies through Training on the GO (TOTG). Training on the GO is Georgia’s approach to the Integrated Education and Training service model under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Students have the opportunity to earn postsecondary and/or industry-recognized credentials in high-demand career fields while simultaneously working toward their high school equivalency diploma or learning English. Training on the GO programs put Adult Education students on a fast track to employment, a better job, a higher wage, and ultimately, a bridge to a better future.

Beginning in 2017, TCSG’s Office of Adult Education (OAE) implemented a state policy to require all Adult Education providers to develop and implement at least one Training on the GO program. The goal of the state mandate for Training on the GO programs was to emphasize the focus on workforce development and career pathways. Around this same time, the High Demand Career Initiative (HDCI) aimed to identify workforce needs in order for Georgia to remain the No. 1 state in the nation for business. The HDCI 14 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

ultimately identified key industries that are in-demand, pay an above-average entry-level wage, and are considered strong options for pursuing a successful career in Georgia.

Training on the GO programs are designed to specifically target the high-demand industries in the local area as a critical workforce development strategy.

Training on the GO programs span across a number of career pathways, with the majority of providers now offering more than one type of TOTG. Examples of Training on the GO programs include, but are not limited to: • Commercial Truck Driving • Certified Nursing Assistant • Customer Service • Cybersecurity • Forklift • Home Health Aide • Medical Administrative Assistant • Phlebotomy • Welding Programs had a strong start with Training on the GO during 2018-2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic impact-

ed participation. Since then, Training on the GO enrollment has started to rebound with projections to surpass pre-pandemic numbers. Many Training on the GO programs couple credentials (for example, Occupational Safety & Health Administration and Forklift), so students have the opportunity to earn more than one credential in a given TOTG. In the 2020-2021 academic year, 487 students participated in Training on the GO, earning 561 credentials. As of December 2021, 399 students have participated in Training on the GO offerings, earning 358 credentials. OAE aims to serve at least 630 Training on the GO students by June 2022.

Adult Education providers must collaborate with training providers to develop and implement the program. Training providers can include technical colleges and economic development departments. Adult Education providers must also collaborate with local workforce development boards and employers to ensure Training on the GO programs are addressing workforce needs.

Through partnerships with local employers, some Training on the GO programs include externships that set students up to find jobs and transition directly to the workforce 2022

at the conclusion of the TOTG. Many providers have also applied for grants or partnered with local workforce development boards or foundations to help cover the cost of training. Due to the growing impact of Training on the GO, Truist Bank awarded OAE a $100,000 grant in October 2020 to support TOTG programs among five providers: • Augusta Technical College • Central Georgia Technical College • Georgia Northwestern Technical College • Georgia Piedmont Technical College • Southern Regional Technical College The Truist Bank grant helps cover the cost of high school equivalency exams, certifications, materials, equipment, and incentives for students who participate in Training on the GO. The Truist grant alone has supported over 100 Training on the GO students, and the majority of them have earned at least one industry-recognized credential to help them obtain better job opportunities. Due to the grant’s success, OAE has been awarded an additional $250,000 from Truist Bank to expand to five more programs:

Students at Southeastern Technical College earn their Forklift Certification through Training on the GO.

• Athens Technical College • Coastal Pines Technical College • Gwinnett Technical College • Lanier Technical College • Wiregrass Georgia Technical College OAE is excited about what is on the horizon for Training on the GO in Georgia. Providers now offer Training on the GO programs each quarter to enable as many students as possible to benefit from the opportunity. OAE will continue to work with providers to expand Training on the GO by exploring additional high-demand industries and developing even more direct pathways to employment through TOTG, such as establishing credit-based TOTG with technical colleges or pre-apprenticeship TOTG with employers. Given how deeply intertwined Adult Education and workforce development are, OAE believes Training on the GO will be the future of Adult Education in Georgia.

Did You Know?

In addition to Training on the GO, Adult Education providers also offer workplace literacy activities as part of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Workplace literacy includes Adult Education and literacy activities offered in collaboration with an employer or employee organization that can occur at a workplace or off-site location. The goal of workplace literacy classes is to improve the productivity of the workforce according to the employer’s specific needs. Adult Education providers work with the employer to develop a curriculum designed to help employees meet the milestones set by the employer.

Workplace literacy classes are tailored to an employer’s specific needs. Examples of skills that Adult Education providers can help employees develop include, but are not limited to: • Work readiness (e.g., Georgia BEST) • English language acquisition • Digital literacy • High school equivalency test preparation • Basic skills development (reading, math, science, social studies) If you are interested in establishing a workplace literacy class, contact your local Adult Education provider to learn more.

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THE COCA-COLA COMPANY PLEDGES $1 MILLION TO PUT MORE GEORGIA COMMERCIAL TRUCK DRIVERS ON THE ROAD

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he Coca-Cola Company announced a $1 million donation to the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Foundation for its system’s Commercial Truck Driving Program. The Coca-Cola Company also announced “Delivering the Future: The Coca-Cola System & Technical College System of Georgia Truck Tour” to raise awareness of TCSG’s Commercial Truck Driving Program and career opportunities with local bottler Coca-Cola UNITED. “As residents and businesses across the state work to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to invest in our communities and provide opportunities that will improve the lives of our fellow Georgians,” said Alfredo Rivera, president of The Coca-Cola Company’s North America Operating Unit. “We are proud of our Georgia roots and will continue to do our part to keep Georgia strong.”

Businesses and consumers rely on Georgia’s trucking industry, which moves more than 435 million tons of goods across the state each year as the logistics and transportation hub of the Southeast (Georgia Department of Transportation, 2019). Today, this industry is facing challenges, having lost 6% of its workers nationally since the COVID-19 pandemic began, compounding an existing driver shortage that is expected to top 160,000 by 2028 (American Trucking Association, 2019).

“Despite the challenges of the last two years, the trucking industry remained steadfast as a foundational driver of the nation’s economy, delivering essential goods to help businesses stay open and to reopen,” said Mark Rahiya, chief supply chain, technical and innovation officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “By supporting TCSG’s Commercial Truck Driving Program trainers and faculty, we’re making sure the next generation of drivers gets a world-class education while simultaneously working to address the driver shortage and provide opportunity for Georgians.”

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(l to r) TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier; Alfredo Rivera, president of The Coca-Cola Company’s North America Operating Unit; Gianetta Jones, vice president and chief people officer, Coca-Cola UNITED; Mike Suco, senior vice president and chief commercial officer, Coca-Cola UNITED; John Sherman, Coca-Cola UNITED CEO.

The $1 million investment marks The Coca-Cola Company’s latest effort to help facilitate Georgia’s economic development and support critical job training and opportunities across its home state. By creating 11 new full-time instructor roles and two parttime instructor roles, the investment supports TCSG’s greatest need, recruiting and retaining talented trainers. In addition, the donation supplements the $8.32 million of support from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II) that will provide facility upgrades, with the goal of doubling enrollment of commercial drivers across Georgia from 1,705 to 3,410 in 2023.

Finally, this investment aims to ensure more drivers are in the pipeline to help fill trucking industry jobs with local Coca-Cola bottler Coca-Cola UNITED and other businesses across the state.

“We are grateful for our partnership with The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola UNITED and look forward to leveraging this investment to attract more best-in-class trainers who are the foundation of our program,” said Greg Dozier, commissioner, Technical College System of Georgia. “With

the expansion of the program, this investment will allow us to prepare more commercial truck drivers to enter the industry, helping to ensure the continued transport of goods upon which we rely across the state.”

The Coca-Cola Company, alongside Coca-Cola UNITED, has generated a positive economic impact in Georgia for more than 135 years. Today, with more than 30 Coca-Cola facilities across the state employing more than 9,400 Georgians, the system provides beverages for more than 41,000 Georgia businesses that offer daily refreshment for the state’s 10.5 million residents.

In addition to helping grow Georgia’s economy and supporting job opportunities for Georgians, The Coca-Cola Company has invested $13.8 million in Georgia since 2016 to improve community wellbeing, empower women, and protect the environment where employees live and work. In addition, The Coca-Cola Foundation has invested $105 million since 2016 to support youth development and education, female entrepreneurs, access to clean water, water conservation, and recycling programs across the state.

2022

Alumni Spotlight

LAUREN CLARK Associate of Science in Nursing (RN) Wiregrass Georgia Technical College ‘15

L

auren Clark of Valdosta knew even as a little girl that she wanted to become a nurse and honestly did not see herself being anything else.

After graduating from Victory Christian School in Valdosta, Clark enrolled at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and began work on her core classes for allied health.

At the time she enrolled at Wiregrass, her plans were to complete her core and then apply to another college to pursue her associate of science in nursing (RN).

Clark’s transfer plans changed when she learned that Wiregrass would be offering an associate of science in nursing degree just at the perfect time.

“I heard about the Wiregrass nursing program that was starting the semester after I finished my core and decided to try it since it was closer to home,” said Clark. “I’m so glad I did. I also wanted an ASN degree, as opposed to BSN, initially because I knew that an ASN was more hands-on experience and that would be priceless going into my field.”

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Lauren credits her instructors at Wiregrass for preparing her for her career as a nurse.

“I could not have made it through without the instructors,” Clark said. “They were tough because they cared and wanted us to be safe and competent nurses when we entered the nursing field. In clinical rotations, they were always seeking out something for us to do or help with because they knew that was the best way for us to learn. And it paid off in the end.”

“It is truly an honor to be there for people during the best and worst times of their life.”

Since graduating from Wiregrass Tech in 2015, Clark has been working as an RN in

the neonatal intensive care unit at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Ga. While being in nursing school is hard, and being a nurse is hard, Clark said, the rewards of knowing you are making a difference in someone’s life is worth it. “You will have some of your best and worst days as a nurse, but every bit of it is worth it. From seeing a one-pound preemie go home after months in the NICU, to holding a mother’s hand and crying with her as she holds her baby for the first and last time. It is truly an honor to be there for people during the best and worst times of their life,” she said.

“The stress of the pandemic has seemed to ease some across the board, and it has been nice to get back to a sense of normalcy in my work and personal life,” Clark said. “I am thankful to be a Wiregrass ASN graduate and to be taking care of the tiniest patients during this time.”

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UP

REVVING Georgia’s Automotive Industry is Getting Set For The Future with a Skilled Pipeline of Employees

18 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

By Christy Simo

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KIA Georgia President & CEO Stuart Countess

W

hen Kia announced 16 years ago it was bringing auto manufacturing back to Georgia, it jumpstarted growth in the industry that continues today. But back then, the idea of electric vehicles and autonomous cars whizzing down the road sounded like visions from the future.

Fast forward to 2022, and that’s now becoming our reality. Georgia is quickly transforming into a hub of electric car manufacturing and autonomous vehicle innovation, and Porsche, Groupe USA, and Mercedes Benz have all chosen Atlanta as the prime place to locate their North American headquarters.

In addition, more than 100 automotive suppliers have chosen to locate in Georgia, and that’s thanks in part to the Technical College System and its ability to train employees on the skills they 20 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

able workforce, and we can keep that workneed to make a career.

“That’s really the only two things that we force going for them as they grow,” said try to do in our system,” said Dr. Glen Can- Cannon.

In fact, automotive technology is one of non, president of Gwinnett Tech, “work with the students to get great careers, and work 17 programs of study for careers that are in with our business and industry partners to demand because of the state’s growing industries. Thanks to the HOPE Caensure that they have that susreer Grant, students enrolled at tainable, qualified workforce.”

Georgia’s technical colleges can As the automotive industry obtain a degree in any of those 17 continues to grow and advance fields with tuition 100% covered. in Georgia, there’s a great need “Nobody can beat what the for employees in all aspects of technical college system does the trade, and TCSG is here to from my viewpoint,” said Stuart help.

Countess, president and CEO of Across Georgia, TCSG’s 22 Learn more Kia Georgia. “What a great way technical colleges are partnerto get a free education. You can ing with companies and auto dealerships to create a pipeline of workers, walk out, have a two-year degree, go get a great job, and you basically have zero debt.” not just for today, but for tomorrow too.

“When businesses and industries relocate to Georgia, we provide them a sustain2022

A New Generation

Gwinnett Tech student Calvin Reese

Across Georgia, TCSG’s 22 technical colleges are partnering with companies and auto dealerships to create a pipeline of workers, not just for today, but for tomorrow too.

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When Kia Georgia announced it was coming to West Point in 2006, it launched a new generation of the auto industry in the state. For the region of middle Georgia along the Alabama state line, which had once been a textile manufacturing hub, the promise of thousands of new jobs was big news indeed.

Along with Kia’s massive manufacturing plant, which is located on 2,200 acres, more than a dozen suppliers are now located in the region to provide the parts Kia needs for the Telluride CUV, Sorento CUV, K5 sedans, and the Sportage compact SUV produced at its West Point facility. These vehicles, sold at dealerships around the country, represent nearly 40% of all Kia sales in the U.S. “You’ve seen a lot of growth in the local area, in Troup County, Meriwether County, Heard County. Most of that growth has come not only from ourselves being here, but our supply base locating here to support us,” Countess said. “In total, that’s represented about 13,000 jobs. So it’s given a lot of opportunity to the residents to have a very good, stable environment, making a highly technical product.”

That’s not the only region of the state attractive to auto suppliers. The South is being called the new automotive corridor, and companies have found Georgia to be a central state to locate in and service nearby manufacturing facilities.

Automotive suppliers that have set up shop around Georgia include Honda Precision Parts, Kumho Tire Georgia, Hitachi Automotive Systems America, Toyo Tire North America, Sewon America, Voelstalpine Automotive, and Panasonic Automotive.

Each time a new company comes to Georgia, Quick Start, a division of TCSG, ramps up to help hire employees and provide customized, job-specific training. For Kia, that meant thousands of employees – today the facility employs more than 3,000 people to produce more than 340,000 vehicles a year. But TCSG’s involvement with Kia didn’t end there. It has created a long-lasting partnership with the car manufacturer that continues today.

That’s the benefit of having TCSG in the state.

“We can formulate a program for a company or a specific industry very quickly that can satisfy what their needs are and then grow with them as they move forward,” Cannon said. “We’re not just like a one-time quick fix. We’re there for the long run.”

The companies TCSG partners with support the college system in various ways as well, from giving to the TCSG Foundation and its Last Mile Fund, which provides financial assistance to students, to donating equipment.

In 2020, Kia provided 26 vehicles to TCSG’s automotive programs, and in all, the company has donated 218 vehicles for educational or training purposes – and sometimes to help celebrate students, too. Each year, TCSG’s student of the year receives a brand new Kia in recognition of their accomplishments.

Addressing a Shortage In addition to the headquarters, manufacturing facilities, and numerous auto suppliers, there are hundreds of auto dealerships across the state, and those dealerships need auto technicians to maintain and repair the cars they sell.

“As has been the case for a number of years, there’s a shortage of qualified, trained automotive technicians,” said Lea Kirschner, president and CEO of the Georgia Automobile Dealers Association (GADA), which represents roughly 500 auto dealerships around the state.

“Back in 2019, our national association estimated that by 2025 or ’26, there would be a need for over 70,000 service technicians.”

Kirschner guesses that during the COVID pandemic, that number may be even higher with people dropping out of the workforce or making career changes. “So there is a tremendous shortage of qualified technicians out there,” she said.

To ensure more students get the skills needed to build a career in the automotive industry, GADA announced in February it was donating $100,000 to the TCSG FounTalent Pipeline Magazine | 21

Mark Whittaker (l), Gwinnett Technical College program director of the Mercedes-Benz Automotive Program with students

dation. The gift will establish a scholarship program specifically for students enrolled in automotive-related programs, which are offered at all TCSG colleges across the state.

“We want to encourage students to consider automotive technician careers,” Kirschner said. “There’s a misconception out there about what an automotive technician really is. Now, there’s so much technology involved in vehicles. It’s an exciting career. It’s also a career where someone can make a nice amount of money. The average salary is $60,000 or more.”

TCSG is also working to address that shortage in several ways, including a recent partnership with Mercedes–Benz and Gwinnett Technical College.

The college, located in Lawrenceville with a campus in Alpharetta, offers a credited associates program specifically geared toward training technicians who specialize in Mercedes-Benz.

The company even donated cars connected directly to the Mercedes-Benz technician software system for students to train on.

“Our instructors and students pull up the same information that technicians working on Mercedes in the shop see in real time,” Cannon said. “It’s not a training simulator, it’s the actual Mercedes-Benz system.”

“From what they tell us, it has worked perfectly. Every student has been hired,” 22 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

Cannon said.

Students spend their second year of the program in a paid internship at a Mercedes-Benz dealership. “Most of them are hired by that dealership they have an internship with,” Cannon said.

Now in its fourth year, the Mercedes-Benz program has been a huge success.

The college already had an established training program partnership with Mopar, the former Chrysler Corp. parts service and customer care division now owned by Netherlands-based auto maker Stellantis. So when Mercedes-Benz announced in 2015 it would be locating its headquarters in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs, Gwinnett Tech assisted with onboarding for the initial hiring and transferring of employees from their New Jersey headquarters.

“We got to talking to them about training and how they did training” Cannon said. “We have the facility right there where we do automotive training, and they decided to give it a try as a pilot program. … We had a dedicated lab that was available, and they bought in and fully supported it and outfitted that lab.”

It’s those kinds of conversations that lead to long-standing partnerships and initiatives like the Mercedes-Benz Program.

Kia’s Countess agreed. “It’s a collaborative effort,” he said. “In the 13 years

Gwinnett Technical College President Dr. D. Glen Cannon

that I’ve been here now, I’ve never experienced anybody saying no. It’s always a very cooperative environment of ‘what can we do together to make the state of Georgia’s work environment the number one place to do business?’”

Building on the momentum created by the Mercedes-Benz program, Gwinnett Tech announced in February that it is partnering with Ford Motor Co. to be the only Ford ASSET training program in the state. The program will create auto technicians for 15 Ford dealerships in metro Atlanta and beyond.

“That’s going to be another very instrumental program in ensuring our students have access to those careers,” Cannon said, “but also the Ford dealerships can have a sustainable and qualified technician workforce.”

Global automotive companies are seeing such successes and realize Georgia’s automotive industry is strong and getting stronger.

“When they see a Mercedes being a successful partnership with us, companies see Ford having a successful partnership with us, other companies will follow, and they’ll also be confident and comfortable that we know what we’re doing,” Cannon said. “They’re not putting a lot of risk out there. We’re a proven entity. We’ve done it before.”

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Going Electric While there’s an immediate need for auto technicians and people to work in the auto manufacturing facilities located in Georgia, those in the auto industry are also looking ahead.

“When we talk about electrification of vehicles and autonomous vehicles, I think the next five to 10 years is going to be another evolution that will not only impact the state, but certainly will impact the community,” Countess said.

That’s already starting to happen. This summer, electric car manufacturer Rivian is scheduled to begin construction on a $5 billion facility east of Atlanta that will bring 7,500 jobs to the state and eventually manufacture 400,000 electric vehicles (EVs) a year when it opens in 2024.

And in May, Gov. Brian Kemp announced that Hyundai Motor Group would invest $5.54 billion in an EV and battery manufacturing facility in Bryan County.

“Whether it’s an automotive [company] like Rivian or it’s a company supporting one of those plants or a company that maybe is supporting future infrastructure for electrification vehicles, what they see is an innovative environment through the technical college system that said, ‘this is where I want to locate. They’re going to work with me in order to achieve success,’” Countess said. “The willingness to make changes very quickly is really crucial at this point, as the automotive industry continues to develop in the state. And I don’t see that slowing down from my experiences.”

As more manufacturers come out with EV models – nearly two dozen were on the market in 2021, and 2022 promises to be a record year for EV launches – the need for auto technicians with the skills to work on these types of vehicles is increasing.

“EVs are definitely the future of the industry. No question about it. And our dealers are very excited for this new era,” Kirschner said. “They’re ready, willing and able to sell EVs, and they are gearing up to do so. They’re making capital investments, they’re training technicians, they’re installing chargers.

There’s a lot going on at dealerships right now related to EVs.” 2022

To prepare for what’s ahead, Gwinnett Tech launched a new certificate in driverless and driver assist systems this past fall. It’s the first training program of its kind in the state that focuses on emerging technologies and environmentally friendly vehicles.

“There is a lot of that technology centered in Gwinnett and the North Fulton area, a lot of research going on in that connected car space that is rapidly coming,” Cannon said.

The certificate program, a combination of traditional curriculum and hands-on training, is an option students can take in addition to the college’s other auto programs.

Dealerships, especially, will benefit from students trained to repair and maintain electric vehicles, and, eventually, autonomous cars.

“It is definitely a different type of skillset,” Kirschner said. “There is a misconception out there that EVs won’t require repairs, maintenance, or service. … But these vehicles still have moving parts. They still have

things that need to be maintained and repaired when they break.”

Kia’s Countess believes that TCSG is key to keeping Georgia ahead of the curve when it comes to new technologies.

“They’re looking at other technologies and innovations that maybe don’t exist today, but they’re also looking at how to take a company that already exists and help them change their technologies to be ready for that future expansion,” he said. “A company certainly can do it on its own, but it’s better if you have a partner within the state that can help you to get to that point. And I see that as continuing at an accelerated pace over the next five years.”

“That’s our mission. That’s what Georgia has tasked us with,” Gwinnett Tech’s Cannon said. “We don’t try to do a lot of different things. We try to do one thing, be better than anyone else, and that’s work with our business partners. That’s our job.”

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24 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

2022

IN MEMORIAM:

DR. ANTHONY O. PARKER January 12, 1953 - June 6, 2022 Albany Technical College announced the passing of Dr. Anthony O. Parker in the early hours of Monday morning, June 6. The passing of Dr. Anthony Parker is not only a tremendous loss for Albany Technical College but also a loss for the entire Albany community and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). Dr. Parker was TCSG’s longest-serving president, assuming the role at Albany Tech in 1995.

From day one, Dr. Parker led the college with a servant’s heart whose top priority was the interest of his students. During his remarkable career at Albany Technical College, Dr. Parker was committed to helping each and every student achieve greatness and realize their dreams through the power of education.

Dr. Parker was a stalwart in the community and worked tirelessly to do everything he could for the betterment of Albany and the region. It is clear that education was Dr. Parker’s calling. From his first day as an instructor at Augusta Technical Institute in 1980, Dr. Parker dedicated his professional life to technical education serving in vice president roles at Southeastern Technical Institute and Aiken Technical College, and as assistant commissioner for Adult Education at TCSG before assuming the role of president at Albany Technical College.

Dr. Parker understood the importance of collaborating with the local Marine Corps Logistics Base to support the nation’s defense systems as well as working with regional business and industry. Dr. Parker was also a leader in Adult Education by helping to graduate GED students transition into a technical college program to gain postsecondary training. Dr. Parker was one of the first technical college presidents to raise $1 million in private funding to support capital improvements at Albany Technical College.

He leaves behind a lasting legacy that will be felt for generations. In the passing of Dr. Parker, the TCSG family lost a tremendous leader, mentor, and a dear friend.

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHTS Albany Tech Serves the Bright Future of Renewable Energy. . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Lanier Tech Propels Student from GED® Classes to Nursing Career. . . . . . . 39

Athens Tech Student Builds the Dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

North Georgia Tech Partnerships Create Workforce Pipeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Atlanta Tech: The Power of Partnership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

OFTC Supports Local Transportation & Mining Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Augusta Tech: Helping Vets Hit a Hole in One. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Ogeechee Tech Launches Manufacturing Engineering Technology Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Central Georgia Tech: Partnering to Provide Housing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Chattahoochee Tech: Drafting Essential Workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Coastal Pines Tech: Funding Commercial Fishing . . . . . . . . . . 34 Columbus Tech: Partnerships Strengthen the Regional Workforce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Savannah Tech Students Dive into Underwater Robotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 SGTC Training Essential Lineworkers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 JCB Donates Equipment to Southeastern Technical College. . . . . . . . 45 SCTC Closing the Skills Gap in Advanced Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

GNTC and Floyd County Prison Produce Work-Ready Welders. . . . . . . . . . 36

Southern Regional Tech: Women in Welding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Georgia Piedmont Tech Plans $5.77 Million Transportation and Logistics Training Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

First Apprentice Lineman Class Opens at West Georgia Tech. . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Gwinnett Tech: Leading in Cybersecurity Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

26 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

Wiregrass Mechatronic Students Build Training Simulator for BlueTriton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

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Talent Pipeline Magazine | 27

COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Albany Tech Serves the Bright Future of Renewable Energy

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s technology advances and non-renewable energy sources continue to dwindle, interest in renewable energy sources grows every year. The demand for qualified alternative energy technicians is rapidly rising as more consumers and businesses apply solar energy and small wind systems in their communities.

In response, Albany Technical College began a sustainable, renewable, and alternative energy program and held a ribbon-cutting Oct. 27 for its new lab, which features an Amatrol Alternative Energy Learning System.

Albany Tech will be concentrating on solar energy since that is the focus in the region, but one course will offer training on small wind system fundamentals.

“Amatrol’s Alternative Energy Learning System tackles basic alternative energy training through a unique eLearning curriculum and hands-on experience with real industrial solar and wind components, photovoltaic skills, and troubleshooting training,” said Chedly Yahya, an instructor in the program at ATC. “Students will receive hands-on training relevant to work in the field.”

The need for such a program was discussed back in 2017. The college recognized that there would be industry-driven demand for these jobs in the near future as new energy employment was increasing locally and around the country.

The sustainable, renewable, and

alternative energy diploma program concentrates on solar photovoltaic (PV) and small wind technology (50 kW/h and smaller). The program prepares students for entry-level, renewable energy technician and technical maintenance positions. Emphasis is on green technologies, including electricity, solar photovoltaics, wind, energy efficiency, and smart grid technology.

Students develop the practical skills to install, troubleshoot, and maintain solar photovoltaic and wind turbine systems. The course work in-

cludes theory and lab practice in energy fundamentals, sustainability, construction practices, electrical currents, energy measures, and efficiency.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to properly select and install a solar or wind energy system on a variety of sites; inspect, troubleshoot, and repair an existing solar system; conduct a site analysis, including load analysis; and demonstrate proper methods for electrical wiring of solar arrays/systems (AC and DC), among other tasks.

(l to r) Jay Smith, Georgia Power; Kaitlyn Jenkins, Metro Power; Chedly Yahya, sustainable renewable and alternative energy instructor, ATC; Michael Kazsmer, Technical Training Aids; Lisa Harrell, dean of academic affairs, ATC; Steve Smith, NextEra 28 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Athens Tech Student Builds the Dream

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t was a laborious process for Athens Technical College student Thomas Dickerson to tote his homework — a 1967 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang — to and from campus, but the hard work of totally rebuilding the car has paid off.

Dickerson, 21, was one of three winners of a Young Gun Golden Ticket that included an all-expenses-paid trip to the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) competition in Las Vegas last November.

At the competition, Dickerson was awarded Top 10 in the Young Guns (builders under the age of 27) and Top 40 overall for his work. He also caught the eye of producers of the television show “Road to Battle of the Builders,” who interviewed him on campus about his experience as one of the youngest people to enter the competition.

“I started with a stock 1967 Mustang Fastback and had to carefully craft parts to turn it into a Shelby [Tribute],” said Dickerson. “I designed my Mustang with many modern components, taking it all the way to the point where you can drive a brand-new Mustang and not feel a difference between it and my car. In some cases, it will drive better and perform exceptionally better, too. All of this took an immense amount of engineering and custom fabrication to make it perform the way I had designed. I had to make many of the parts because they simply did not exist or work with my specifications.”

The project took about three years, with much of the work completed on campus at ATC. Dickerson documented his work throughout the project on Instagram: @67shelby_thomasdickerson.

“This was the first car I ever painted.

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Athens, Ga., native Thomas Dickerson remodeled a 1967 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang using the skills he learned at Athens Technical College, where much of the work was done on the car. He was named in the top 10 Young Guns and top 40 overall at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) competition in Las Vegas last fall. (Photo by Josh Paine/ATC)

It took over 26 hours to paint over two days, and I spent two to three weeks wet sanding it afterward,” Dickerson said. “I made my own center console using classes here that we have – mechanical engineering technology – and I designed my whole console on SolidWorks, made all the pieces, and I had some parts CNC’d, and I had some parts that I 3D printed in class.”

The car has all the modern luxuries including fuel injection, LED headlights, electric cooling, digital analog gauges, a seven-inch touchscreen radio, push button start, and a key fob.

“Seventy percent of the car is brand new, and every panel on the outside of the car is 100% new,” Dickerson said. “When I bought the car, I was interested in mechanical engineering. But it was not as hands on as I had imagined, so that’s when I enrolled in the automotive collision repair program at Athens Tech.”

The accolades in Las Vegas weren’t

the first for Dickerson, who took first place in Georgia’s SkillsUSA Auto Refinishing contest and second place in the national SkillsUSA category in 2021.

“Thomas was a great student and worked very hard to master the skills needed to build the dream he had envisioned,” said Greg Thomas, program chair for automotive collision repair.

“With his skills and hard work, he was able to build a truly beautiful car. He was also able to go toe to toe against the best builders in the country at SEMA with amazing results. I couldn’t be prouder of him for his accomplishments.”

To learn more about the Young Guns competition, visit www.semayoungguns.com.

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Atlanta Tech: The Power of Partnership

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uring the pandemic, the need for healthcare workers – already an in-demand field in Georgia – grew exponentially.

To help provide well-trained people in critical healthcare roles, Atlanta Technical College (ATC) offers apprenticeships in a number of programs, including healthcare.

In March 2021, ATC’s Customized Contract Training department and Grady Hospital launched the first patient care technician (PCT) apprenticeship cohort.

Students were recruited from Grady’s pool of certified nurse assistants. Since then, five cohorts with a total of 51 apprentices have completed the program. Twenty-six of the 27 apprentices who have taken the Patient Care Technician Certification (CPCT/A) exam have passed on their first attempt.

Touting a 96% pass rate, the apprenticeship program at ATC has propelled Grady Hospital to expand its partnership with the college to develop a Pathways 2 Success program for frontline staff who seek promotional opportunities. This proposed partnership would afford Grady’s employees both the resources and time they need to further their careers through education and training.

“We are excited to have one of the first healthcare registered apprenticeship programs to be sponsored by a TCSG college. It has been rewarding to assist our employer partners with training and upskilling their current employees in these high-demand career fields,” said Yulonda Beauford, ATC’s vice president of economic development. This apprenticeship train30 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

ing partnership was possible due to the availability of the American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) and Apprenticeship State Expansion (ASE) grant funds.

The Atlanta Technical College emergency medical services (EMS) and continuing education teams have also developed a student-centered and evidence-based instructional approach to EMS education that compliments the apprenticeship process and model.

The team launched four emergency medical technician/advanced emergency medical technician (EMT/AEMT) registered apprenticeship cohorts in June 2021 with 70 apprentices. The first apprentice EMT cohort completed its 10-week training in August, with students praising TCSG and ATC for providing the opportunity for free training while remaining employed. The first cohort successfully graduated nine students with an additional 45 graduating in cohorts two and three. Staffing for EMT’s is critical to the COVID-19 outbreak, and each EMT graduate contributes to the essential staffing needed to support emergency care response in the metro area.

The EMT/AEMT registered apprenticeship partners with American Medical Response Inc. (AMR) and six municipalities including: East Point Fire Department; Fairburn Fire and Police Departments; Morrow Fire Department; Palmetto Fire Department; Riverdale Fire Department; and Union City Fire Department. To assist apprentices with program success, the college implemented in-person and online tutoring sessions, additional medical lab sessions, and mentor support sessions.

AAI, ASE, and Healthcare Career Advancement Program (H-CAP) grant funds were

critical for the municipalities to participate in the registered apprenticeship program and have been used to provide instructional staffing to meet the demands of a rigorous course training and condensed schedule.

The grant funds were also essential in ensuring apprentices have the needed supplies for their training, skills assessments, practice, and certification exam.

“Atlanta Technical College was able to drive success by customizing our EMS training to provide on-shift and off-shift training for firefighters and EMTs, therefore decreasing the impact that staffing has on each department’s day-to-day emergency personnel staffing allocation,” said Corbett Davis, the ATC paramedicine and fire science program coordinator and chair.

In these uncertain times, especially due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is comforting to know that ATC continues to offer workforce solutions and essential frontline workers in pandemic-proof careers.

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Augusta Tech: Helping Vets Hit a Hole In One

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peration Double Eagle is a nineweek certification course in golf course management through Augusta Technical College that connects veterans and transitioning active-duty service members to a network of employers seeking job-ready employees for nationwide career opportunities. Every nine weeks, up to 15 selected veterans receive free education and a monthly stipend for the program, which means they do not have to use their GI Bill benefit. Upon completion of the program, graduates receive Augusta Tech’s golf turf and landscape specialist certificate.

Crucially, the education is not just book learning. Every morning, participants gather in the classroom to study horticulture science, turf management, irrigation, pesticides, and golf course maintenance. Every afternoon, they convene at the Double Eagle Performance Center, a dedicated — and non-playable — par-3 hole tucked behind the driving range at Augusta Municipal Golf Course, which locals call The Patch, to put their morning studies into practice. The Double Eagle Performance Center was made possible by a grant from the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

The program, which has graduated four cohorts, has garnered national attention from the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA), Golf Digest’s April 2021 Masters edition, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Augusta Chronicle, Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association (GGCBA), United States Golf Association (USGA), and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). The program was also recently featured on CBS News with

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Norah O’Donnell.

The Warrior Alliance’s mission is to help warriors and their families achieve a fulfilling civilian life by promoting collaboration between the organizations that can support them during the transition from military service.

Augusta Technical College is a Purple Heart Technical College. The designation signifies the college’s recognition of and service to veterans who were wounded in combat while serving their country and who are

now pursuing higher education and careers at Augusta Tech.

Augusta Technical College has a veteran assistance program, veteran coordinator, and student veteran organization that help military personnel and their families make the smooth transition from military service to civilian employment.

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Central Georgia Tech: Partnering to Provide Housing

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entral Georgia Technical College (CGTC), along with Trinity School of Medicine, announced the construction of the Lofts at Houston Central, a 265-bed student housing complex on Sutherlin Drive off Highway 96 in Warner Robins to support students at both institutions. This private development is a result of community partnerships between Houston Healthcare, Houston County government leaders, and Argus Eyed Partners and Sierra Development, the companies that will construct and manage the facility.

Along with housing for CGTC and Trinity students, the Lofts will offer retail and dining options and be the first development of its kind in Houston County. This new complex will provide an authentic on-campus living experience for CGTC and Trinity students, will increase local vitality, and will aid the local economy and the Houston County community in the endeavor to grow and attract the next generation of workforce talent. Construction has already begun on the property, which is owned by Houston Healthcare, the county’s fourth largest employer.

“Central Georgia Technical College is pleased to be able to offer our students private, fully furnished living spaces,” said Dr. Ivan Allen, president of CGTC. “The college is also pleased that our community will benefit from the additional retail and dining options included in this unique project.

Most of all, CGTC is excited that the Lofts at Houston Central will attract students from around our state and nation who will receive high-quality

32 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

education and training, graduate, and then remain in the Middle Georgia area to fill high-demand, essential jobs.”

“Trinity School of Medicine is founded on the principles of family and community service,” said Dr. Frances Purcell, provost-dean of Trinity. “This great, new student housing option will allow our students to live in a student community dedicated to service in healthcare, working together to live and grow in caring for their patients.”

“We are grateful to have found three wonderful partners who care deeply about their missions and the community collectively,” said Travis Griffith, president of Argus Eyed Partners.

“What excited us the most about this project is the quality of leaders and their vision to grow and continue to make a positive impact. We hope this project can serve as a catalyst for new opportunities and an expanded reach for Houston Healthcare, CGTC, and Trinity.”

Lofts at Houston Central became a reality because of the cooperation of many local leaders including Tommy Stalnaker, chairperson of the Houston County Board of Commissioners. He understood the vision and saw that this project would enhance the student experience.

Recently, he congratulated all of the involved organizations adding, “This project will have a positive impact on Houston County for many years in the future.”

Lofts at Houston Central will include quality finishes and staff with a reputation for providing unparalleled service. Elevator access to the lofts, gated onsite parking, fully equipped fitness center, and a resort-style saltwater pool are just some of the amenities student residents will enjoy. Lofts at Houston Central will also feature approximately 5,000 square feet of retail space, including quick service as well as unique sit-down restaurants and other complimentary retail.

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Chattahoochee Tech: Drafting Essential Workers

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he Chattahoochee Technical College drafting technology program is serving as a springboard to success for students of all ages. Tammy Perry, who graduated from high school in the 1980s, and dual enrollment student Janelle Reece, who graduated from high school in May 2022, have each gained essential workforce skills through the college’s drafting technology program. They have learned industry-standard design and drafting software and have become skilled in preparing 2D technical drawings and 3D modeling.

Perry completed a diploma in drafting technology at Chattahoochee Tech and is currently working toward an associate degree in the college’s interior design program. For most of the fall semester, she worked as a tutor in the college drafting lab. Thanks to the computer aided design (CAD) skills she gained at Chattahoochee Tech, she recently landed a job as a CAD designer with Design Environments Inc. in Marietta.

“I always wanted to be a drafter for an interior design company,” said Perry. “Taking classes in both drafting technologies and in the college’s interior design program have given me the skills and knowledge to accomplish my new job.”

A typical day for Perry includes working with state-of-the-art CAD systems to do things like space planning, furniture plans, lighting design plans, and reflected ceiling plans. Design Environments Inc. is a nationally known interior design firm specializing in the interior architecture and merchandising of model homes, clubhouses, and amenity/sales facilities throughout the United States.

“To get to this point today, I had to live through a major tragedy in my life,” said

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Tammy Perry

Perry. “But if it wasn’t for this event, I would have never come back to college to look for a degree in architectural drafting and fulfill a dream. It is a wonderful feeling to be where I am now.”

Reece is working toward her associate degree in the drafting technology program.

She completed the degree in the spring when she also graduated from high school.

She began her dual enrollment college studies as a home-schooled high school student when she was in the tenth grade.

Before she enrolled at Chattahoochee Tech, she researched what programs the college has to offer. “I loved math, drawing, and computers, so drafting won. My dad being the professor was a bonus.” Her father happens to serve as the lead instructor for the program.

“I feel prepared in my CAD abilities to enter the workforce,” said Reece. “But Chattahoochee Tech has prepared me in so many more ways. I grew up in a sheltered Christian household, of which I’m unbelievably grateful for, so taking classes at Chatt Tech gave me a smooth transition into the real world.”

After graduation from Chattahoochee Tech and from high school, Reece plans to participate in a six-month missionary project before entering the workforce to put her CAD skills to work. “I am most ex-

Janelle Reece

cited for all the opportunities I will have in the future,” said Reece. “I believe getting an associate degree in drafting is an investment for my future long-term. As I pursue traveling, the arts, or raising kids and having a family, a career in drafting will be very accessible to me. I am excited to see how my career in drafting supports me in ways I cannot even imagine.”

What advice would Reece and Perry have for anyone who is considering a career in drafting?

“My best advice for those considering drafting is to humble yourself and be willing to learn something new,” said Reece. “I did not have a construction or manufacturing background before pursuing classes, so everything was new to me.”

Perry’s advice echoed the sentiment expressed by Reece. “Just keep going. Work hard and do the very best you can,” said Perry. “Then find a job that you will enjoy and make you happy. Life is too short not to be happy. Enjoy the adventure that will get you to this point.”

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Coastal Pines Tech: Funding Commercial Fishing

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he Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Coastal Pines Technical College (CPTC) Foundation announced a new scholarship and endowment program to invest in the next generation of Georgia’s commercial fishermen.

The Georgia Commercial Fishing Sustainability and Resilience Endowment and the Georgia Commercial Fishing Scholarship, funded by DNR’s Coastal Resources Division (CRD), will aid Coastal Pines Technical College students enrolled in the college’s basic commercial fisherman program. Qualified students can apply for financial aid to cover tuition, equipment, training, and commercial fishing licenses, according to an agreement signed between the foundation and CRD in December 2021.

“There is a growing concern from commercial fishing vessel owners and dock owners about the lack of trained crew to replace the industry’s participants as they retire and leave the fishery,” said Carolyn Belcher, CRD’s chief of marine fisheries.

“With this new scholarship and endowment, our goal is to incentivize students to pursue careers in commercial fishing across the Georgia coast.”

Funding for the endowment and scholarship comes from a 2019 U.S. Commerce Department’s aid allocation for a fishery failure that occurred during Georgia’s 2013 shrimp season. During that season, commercial shrimpers saw a 58% reduction in harvest, prompting then-Gov. Nathan Deal to request federal aid.

Julie Califf, a CRD fisheries data specialist, helped oversee CRD’s disbursement of $1.06 million in fishery failure aid from the commerce department. While much of the disbursement was direct aid

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(l to r) Carolyn Belcher, Coastal Resources Division chief of marine fisheries; Amanda Morris, CPTC EVP; Lonnie Roberts, CPTC president; Don Hogan, District 197 state representative; Sheila McNeill, District 3 state senator; Doug Haymans, Coastal Resources Division director; Woody Woodside, CPTC Foundation trustee

to affected fishermen, the funds could also be used to educate and recruit new industry members.

“One of the things federal rules let you do with the money was job training, so it seemed like a natural fit,” Califf said. “At the time, Coastal Pines Technical College had just started a program to educate students in commercial fishing, and we saw a need to help fund some of the equipment and other financial hurdles.”

Aid funds donated by CRD include $20,000 to an interest-bearing endowment overseen by the foundation, along with $5,000 in scholarship funds available for immediate distribution by the foundation.

Stephanie Roberts, executive director of college advancement, said she and Coastal Pines faculty and staff are excited to put the endowment and scholarship to work.

“We are so thankful to the Coastal Resources Division and the Department of Natural Resources,” she said. “This endowment and scholarship will help ensure that this important coastal industry has the workforce it needs for the 21st century. We are proud partners with Georgia DNR and are happy to train the future generations in this staple industry of coastal culture.”

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Columbus Tech: Partnerships Strengthen the Regional Workforce

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olumbus Technical College (CTC) has partnered with several Columbus organizations who share a mutual goal of benefiting the community through education, career preparation, and workforce training.

One of the most recent partnerships is with the Muscogee County Prison (MCP).

CTC has partnered with the MCP to offer mobile welding certification via a mobile welding lab which brings the classroom to the students. The program will have long term benefits as graduates will have real marketable skills and industry-recognized certifications. This is a win-win for graduates as well as the community as there continues to be a shortage of trained welding professionals. The same program is currently being offered at Rutledge State Prison.

In December of 2021, nine graduates successfully completed the six-week program and were honored in a ceremony attended by several Columbus leaders including the mayor and city manager. Vice President of Adult Education, April Hopson, summed up the benefits of the program by stressing the importance of individuals who complete the certification being able find meaningful employment once they reenter the community.

CTC has also partnered with Enrichment Services, which is a local organization dedicated to increasing awareness of poverty and implementing programs to help reduce the impact on local residents and promote independency.

The addition of the Early Head Start program, which will open on the CTC campus August 1, 2022, provides resources for the educational growth and development of children under the age of three. Not only does this benefit the families, it also gives students enrolled in Early Childhood Education programs face-to-face learning

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opportunities not previously available on campus. In addition, CTC was awarded the Two-Generation Capacity Building Grant (TGIG), which assists the parents of students who are facing economic hardships.

This will allow CTC to provide workforce training to parents while their children are enrolled in Early Head Start on campus.

Goodwill and Columbus Tech are no strangers to partnerships. One of the most long-standing is a high school equivalency preparation and testing program that is available for students at the Goodwill Center. It is a self-paced program designed to work with individual schedules and that can be completed as time permits.

Columbus Tech continues its strong partnership with the military community by offering career planning, hands-on, transferable training, and career placement services to service members and their spouses stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.

The career planning services will be provided both on-campus and at the Military Services Office, located on Fort Benning.

Services will include identifying student’s interests, gaining self-understanding, and creating a career plan. Classes will be taught at the CTC campus as well as the Army Continuing Education Center on Fort Benning.

The College will offer the following high demand, transferable training programs: Certified Production Technician, CISCO Networking Specialist, Medical Coding, Accelerated Nurse Aide, and Basic Shielded Metal Arc Welding. These training programs will provide transferability in the military and civilian world as well as a starting point to advance to higher level careers.

Each of these partnerships is essential to the economic growth and vitality of our area. Columbus Technical College is proud to play an active part in building new partnerships and growing existing ones to help every individual get the education, training, and encouragement needed to be a productive and successful member of the community.

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

GNTC and Floyd County Prison Produce Work-Ready Welders

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wenty-four people at the Floyd County Prison recently completed welding training provided by Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) through the use of a mobile welding lab. The 24 are now certified in shielded metal arc and flux core welding.

A commencement ceremony was hosted by Floyd County Prison Warden Mike Long and GNTC at the prison to recognize the second cohort of inmates who have become certified in the two welding processes needed for an entry-level welding position.

The graduates received a certificate of completion from GNTC, as well as up to two weld test certifications from the American Welding Society.

During the ceremony, GNTC President Dr. Heidi Popham introduced GNTC’s prior learning assessment Initiative. As a part of this new initiative, prisoners who have successfully completed the 135-hour program in welding and passed the AWS weld test certifications, can be exempt from a college credit course if they choose to apply at GNTC and meet admissions requirements.

“This initiative is a first of its kind at GNTC that bridges non-credit and credit training,” said Popham. “These prior learning credits you have earned may be applied to GNTC’s basic shielded metal arc welder technical certificate of credit or the gas metal arc welder technical certificate of credit.

We welcome you to continue your education with us.”

After Popham presented the graduates with their certificates, several of them shared their thoughts on the program.

“Today is a day we get to celebrate our success,” said Rodney Flournoy.

“We have become better brothers, 36 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

sons, and fathers by taking part in this program.”

The 12-week training has a 100% completion rate between both cohorts with the first finishing in September 2020.

Kyle Edmunds, a trainee in the second cohort, is already employed and gaining experience while still incarcerated. Edmunds is currently in the prison’s Work Release Center, a transition program that allows people to leave the prison for work and return when their shift is complete.

According to Betty Bailey-Dean, deputy warden of care and treatment at Floyd County Corrections, Edmunds and others can keep their jobs once released. Dean oversees the Work Release Center and handpicked the participants for the program.

“You are leading the way for the next cohort if it gets approved,” Dean said.

“Everyone involved with this program wants you to become better citizens all the way around. I am so proud that each one of you wants that for yourselves.”

Stephanie Scearce, GNTC vice president of economic development, is thrilled with the success of both cohorts. Scearce and her team along with GNTC’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program and the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission spent over a year developing the welding curriculum and securing the funding for the program. GNTC also applied to secure a TCSG mobile welding lab. Now that the class is complete, the lab will return to TCSG. “It felt a little easier to get the second cohort up and running because we had performance metrics from our first group,” she said. “I tell the prisoners that the effort they put in is a determining factor if GNTC will be able to bring the program back again. If we get the grants approved, we will

Georgia Northwestern Technical College President Dr. Heidi Popham with graduate.

try to offer this program as many times as we can.”

Scearce added that trainees in the second cohort kept asking if the training hours invested in the program would transfer to the welding and joining technology program at GNTC, which is what led to developing the prior learning assessment initiative.

“We want them to know their hard work was worth it,” Scearce said. “For now, GNTC is only offering this initiative to the 24 students who completed the 135-hour training created by GNTC’s office of economic development.

In the meantime, the welding students are finding meaningful employment through the Work Release Center. Currently, Steel King Industries Inc., F&P Georgia, Jefferson Southern Corp., Thermal Seal Duct, Mat HD LLC, and Advanced Steel Technology are partnering with Floyd County Corrections to hire certified welders.

According to the Georgia Department of Labor, the average hourly pay for welders in Northwest Georgia is $17.45 as of 2019. The industry is also seeing growth as a result of retirements. The American Welding Society estimates half a million welding jobs will be available nationwide by 2022.

Prisoners with welding jobs through the Work Release Center are making an average of $11.60 an hour.

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Georgia Piedmont Tech Plans $5.77 Million Transportation and Logistics Training Center

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ith logistics-related fields employing nearly 200,000 Georgians and transportation workers occupying one out of every 14 jobs in the state, Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s (GPTC) planned expansion of its Regional Transportation Training Center in DeKalb County promises to fuel the burgeoning workforce needs along the I-20 corridor.

Last year, Gov. Brian Kemp signed off on the budget for the construction of a new $5.77 million facility that will house GPTC’s one-of-a-kind regional transportation and logistics training center on Marbut Road in Lithonia, replacing and enhancing the college’s current CDL training location there.

Upon completion, it will be the largest training site in Georgia that specifically caters to building a strong workforce in support of the transportation industry.

“This is a big win for Georgia Piedmont Tech, DeKalb County, and the entire region,” said GPTC President Tavarez Holston. “We anticipate opening the doors to our new facility for students and our industry training partners by 2024.”

The 28,000-square-foot training center will be instrumental in producing skilled workers to serve the Metro Atlanta area, notably from commercial truck driving, diesel technology, and automotive technology programs.

“We are excited that Georgia Piedmont Technical College can provide more opportunities for students interested in pursuing one of these high-demand career fields as we grow a talent pipeline for business and industry,” said Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Greg Dozier.

With a 99% graduate job placement 2022

rate, the college serves major distribution and logistics-dependent employers such as Amazon, which is moving into the region, and existing companies like DART, Home Chef, and MARTA that are looking to enhance or expand their operations.

“There is no question this new Regional Transportation Training Center will bring about transformative change to DeKalb County. When we speak of advancing development throughout the entire county so that all of DeKalb residents can thrive and prosper, it starts with having a well-trained and educated workforce utilizing the latest technology,” said Dorian R. DeBarr, president of the Decide DeKalb Development Authority and a member of the GPTC Board of Directors.

Additional uses of the new center will include short-term training op-

tions like forklift certification, entrepreneurship opportunities, incubator space for transportation start-ups, and prospects for partnering with governmental agencies.

“I am excited about the possibilities this new transportation center will bring, and I look forward to working with President Holston to expand the training opportunities for students in DeKalb County,” said Sen. Emanuel Jones (GA-10), who assisted the college in securing the project funds. “We must be competitive for the jobs of the future.”

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Gwinnett Tech: Leading in Cybersecurity Education

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n June 7, 2021, Gwinnett Technical College welcomed Gov. Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp, state representatives, and county council members to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new $37.8 million, 82,200-square-foot Computer Information Systems, Cybersecurity, and Emerging Technologies Building. “(This) groundbreaking is another major project at Gwinnett Tech,” Gov. Kemp told attendees at the ceremony. “We’re unveiling new opportunities for students to learn new skills and to be able to step into that workforce.”

The new building will support computer science students and feature a cybersecurity war room, gaming technologies room, multiple flex-use rooms, a new quad, 29 classrooms, a networking lab with a dedicated data center, and an eSports lab. However, cybersecurity is a primary reason for the new project.

In 2020, the National Security Agency

(NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated Gwinnett Technical College as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense TwoYear Education (CAE2Y) through academic year 2025.

The goal of the CAE2Y program is to increase the understanding of cyber defense (CD) technology, policy, and practices that will enable our nation to prevent and respond to catastrophic cyber incidents and events. The CAE2Y designation recognizes that Gwinnett Technical College meets the increasing demands of the program criteria that contribute significantly to the advancement of state-of-the-art CD knowledge and practice by developing this important technically skilled workforce.

This designation, issued jointly by the NSA and the DHS, is one of the most prestigious recognitions for cybersecurity excellence a college can receive.

“We’re going to set the stage for what’s

next, not only for Gwinnett Tech but for the future of work as we’ll come to know it. This new building is going to be a launchpad for students to enter careers in current and emerging technologies, in addition to cybersecurity such as artificial intelligence and virtual and augmented reality,” said Gwinnett Tech President D. Glen Cannon.

The new facility is expected to help address workforce needs for a technology sector that is growing tremendously in the Gwinnett County and North Fulton County areas.

In addition to the new building, Gwinnett Tech is also adding 36,000 square feet to building 100, including renovating and expanding the library, one-stop student service area, student life center, and new chemistry and physics labs.

The library renovation includes new entrances, multiple study and meeting spaces, recording space for instructors and students, an increased number of computer stations, and the creation of the Center for Teaching Excellence. The one-stop student service area refresh includes renovation and expansion of the existing area, adding a new and expanded entryway, and additional stations to assist students with enrollment and registration.

The student life center will get a total overhaul with new gaming stations, new furnishings, and greater seating capacity to meet the needs of the growing student body, additional power and charging stations, and the installation of roll-up glass doors that lead to outside spaces. The project is expected to open in early 2023.

Gov. Brian Kemp (c.) and First Lady Marty Kemp lead the groundbreaking at Gwinnett Tech

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2022

COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Lanier Tech Propels Student From GED® Classes to Nursing Career

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anier Technical College’s mission of workforce development is a beacon for many students who have graduated from the college’s diploma, degree, and adult education programs. Technical education gives students opportunities they could only dream of if they apply themselves to the day-to-day instruction and rigor. Lanier Tech has become a guiding light for many who are looking to enter the workforce with the knowledge and experience needed to be successful. The saying “hard work pays off” rings true for Lanier Tech alumni Katie Ballard.

Ballard started her educational journey with Lanier Tech’s adult education program. After home schooling, working minimum wage jobs, and feeling stuck financially, she knew she needed to get her high school equivalency (HSE). When asked about what led her to Lanier Tech she said, “I know what it’s like to feel stuck in life. For me, Lanier Tech’s adult education program was the next logical step to further myself toward a career I would actually enjoy.”

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Katie Ballard

After graduating with her high school equivalency by passing her GED® test, Ballard was named Lanier Tech’s 2018 EAGLE (Exceptional Adult in Literacy Education) Student of the Year.

After completing the TCSG EAGLE competition, she was awarded the statewide accolade as well. These achievements came with the opportunity to travel and speak on behalf of adult education and the privileges it has made available to her. “I jumped at the opportunity to represent Lanier Tech and all that it had done for me up to the point I earned my GED®. Because I can relate to others in a similar situation, my story became an opportunity of hope for people looking to better their lives and careers,” said Ballard.

Her goal of working in the healthcare field came to fruition with a two-year associates of science in nursing degree. She joined the program’s first cohort in 2019. “I was initially drawn to the healthcare field after being cared for by top-notch nurses at a local hospital. I started medical courses through Lanier Tech’s CNA [certified nursing assis-

tant] program pathway then moved to the ASN [associate degree in nursing] program,” said Ballard.

Lanier Tech’s course structure worked well for Ballard as she progressed through the program. Courses are taught in a smaller class setting giving the students a more personalized educational experience. Class sizes vary from 20 to 30 students rather than the larger class structures offered at most universities. “I never felt like I was just another number in a sea of students. My questions and thoughts were always taken into consideration, and the instructors often offered personalized lessons to be sure we understood the assignment at hand,” she said.

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic started in the middle of her journey to an ASN degree, she didn’t give up. Ballard graduated from the ASN program in December 2021. Within two weeks, she acquired a one-year nursing residency position with a local hospital.

When asked about all of her success and future plans she said, “I am excited to start my nursing career and this new chapter in my life. While in this new role, I have already planned to work towards a bachelor’s degree in nursing.”

The need for a skilled workforce post-pandemic is stronger than ever.

Ballard’s journey through technical education is one of Lanier Tech’s many student success stories. She remains a shining example of how important technical education can be in filling the growing need for skilled labor in the North Georgia area.

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

North Georgia Tech Partnerships Create Workforce Pipeline

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orth Georgia Technical College (NGTC), Kubota Manufacturing, and WorkSource Georgia Mountains are working together to bring high-demand career opportunities to Lee Arrendale Transition Center residents as they transition from Lee Arrendale State Prison back into the community.

The initial training program was sparked out of an industry need for production welders in Northeast Georgia. The collaborative goal was to design a short-term customized training program. The primary component of the program includes American Welding Society (AWS) training, basic metal working, and certification testing. An additional key component of the program is employability skills training, including attendance, professionalism, respect, and teamwork.

At the inception of the program in 2016, the participants worked in other non-metal fabrication and manufacturing sectors, which were lower paying and lower skilled.

Students then received welding training outside their working hours. Since that time, the regional economy has grown at a very fast pace, and welders have been very costly for industry to attract, train, and retain.

Welding and metal fabrication continue to be included on the WorkSource Georgia Mountains high demand occupations list. Furthermore, the need for welders and fabricators continues to grow nationwide. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational outlook, the need for welders and metal fabricators will increase by 8% by 2030.

This overwhelming demand for skilled labor has provided enhanced opportunities for residents from the Lee Arrendale Transition Center to secure higher wage positions while en40 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

gaged in training. The most recent training opportunity was launched when NGTC was approached by Kubota Manufacturing to help fill the need for skilled welders and funding became available through WorkSource Georgia Mountains. The Lee Arrendale Transition Center recruited students while NGTC worked to secure materials, personal protective equipment, and tools.

“This partnership has been a winwin,” said Mary Overholt, Kubota Manufacturing of America senior human resources manager. “We developed an opportunity to add to our highly skilled workforce and provide a high paying job with full benefits to the residents.

It is truly an opportunity that can positively transform their lives.”

NGTC has successfully facilitated several cohorts of AWS welding training with Georgia Department of Corrections. The participants from the last three cohorts have all been hired at local welding manufacturers by the first day of the training. When the students complete their national industry certification, they are hired full time with full benefits. The top pay on some jobs has been over $20 an hour. Since 2016, approximately 86 participants have completed the course and received an industry certification.

Many students from Lee Arrendale Transition Center pay their own way and are dedicated to seeing the process through to graduation. “Our residents are hard workers and must have a job to remain in this program,” said Carmon Edwards, Lee Arrendale Transition Center superintendent. “The residents have this wonderful opportunity to work at Kubota Manufacturing four days a week and receive soft skill and technical training on Fridays at North Georgia Technical College.”

Over the years, many of the participants are still employed in the metal

Students from the first class to meet since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. All the participants now work at Kubota Manufacturing.

working industry and some have been promoted to training and management roles with their employers. Each class brings the momentum of the former class to excel in this industry.

“On-the-job training is an integral part of our reentry initiatives, and our goal is to provide opportunities for success when these individuals return to their communities,” said Commissioner Timothy C. Ward.

“We are grateful for our partnership with NGTC and their role in ensuring the residents at Lee Arrendale TC learn a high-demand skill that will increase their chance of employment and ultimately become productive citizens upon release,” Ward said.

“This opportunity has given me a second chance to have a life that I didn’t even know existed,” said a student of the program who wished to remain anonymous. “I have paid my debt to society, and now I have a new set of skills and a fresh start with a new career.”

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

OFTC Supports Local Transportation & Mining Industries

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ince the inception of Oconee Fall Line Technical College (OFTC), the transportation and mining industries have been a key focus.

“Our goal has always been to support the local economies within our 11-county service area,” said OFTC President Erica Harden. “And our emphasis on meeting needs within the transportation industries and through mine safety training is one of the ways we support that mission.”

In the 1990s, commercial truck driving was the first instructional program offered at the college and two of the county’s largest industries were trucking companies – B-H Transfer and Howard Sheppard. Those companies still exist today, and OFTC continues to produce graduates to support the companies’ growth.

Within the last ten years, OFTC has produced more than 1,000 commercial truck driving graduates with a 92% in-field placement rate.

As the state of Georgia’s awardee for the U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA) Grant, the college’s department of economic development has been involved in MSHA training courses for more than 20 years.

OFTC serves the kaolin mining industry that’s located in the region.

More than 2,000 miners are trained each year on OFTC campuses or at company sites and classes are taught in an open enrollment format or can be customized to meet a company’s specific training needs.

While these industries continue to prosper, the need for skilled workers and training is great.

“Today more than ever, the need for trained commercial truck drivers is crucial, and everyone is seeing the impact of 2022

driver shortages in the supply chain,” said Charles Tarbutton, president of B-H Transfer. “Oconee Fall Line Technical College has partnered with B-H Transfer for over 25 years. They produce quality CTD [commercial truck driving] graduates who are ready and willing to work in our local area. It’s crucial that industry leaders support and our elected leaders invest in the training the technical colleges provide if we want Georgia to remain the No. 1 place to do business in the future.”

To meet that great need, the Washington County Board of Commissioners deeded a former law enforcement center to the state for the college’s new Instructional Center to house new programs for the transportation and mining industries.

The Instructional Center opened in January and provides OFTC’s transportation students and mine safety training attendees with state-of-the-art technology in a renovated building adjacent to the college’s truck driving range. The center consists of classroom and office space for the robust truck driving program, and MSHA

and other safety program courses offered through the college’s business and industry services division. In the future, OFTC plans to add a diesel equipment technology lab and program at this location.

“The OFTC Instructional Center in Sandersville will help provide training that will assist in filling gaps within our regional workforce and demonstrates OFTC’s commitment to industry growth in our community,” said Trey Sheppard, president of Howard Sheppard LLC. “OFTC regularly works with local industries like ours to provide skilled training for job readiness and to provide critical knowledge needed to work safely in a variety of job fields. This new facility will allow OFTC to continue to provide these services in a state-of-the-art environment.”

“We are thrilled to add the OFTC Instructional Center as a training resource for the college and are looking forward to watching the economic impact it will produce locally in the future,” Harden said.

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Ogeechee Tech Launches Manufacturing Engineering Technology Program

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geechee Technical College recently began a new manufacturing engineering technology program that offers degree, diploma, and two certificate options for completion.

“Our manufacturing engineering technology program will provide an accelerated pathway for both dual enrollment and traditional students to begin or advance careers in manufacturing,” said Dr. Ryan Foley, executive vice president for academic and student affairs at OTC. “We have worked very closely with local industry partners Koyo, Great Dane, and Viracon to provide incentives like a guaranteed job interview, signing bonuses, and opportunities for advancement for our META [manufacturing engineering technology assis-

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tant] I & II certificate recipients as well.”

The manufacturing engineering technology associate of applied science course of study prepares students to use basic engineering principles and technical skills in developing and testing automated, servo mechanical, and other electromechanical systems. This degree program includes instruction in prototype testing, manufacturing and operational testing, systems analysis, and maintenance procedures.

Students who complete these programs will be qualified for employment in industrial maintenance and manufacturing, including assembly, testing, startup, troubleshooting, repair, process improvement, and control systems, and should

qualify to sit for Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) mechatronics or similar industry examinations.

“One thing that sets this program apart from others in our area is that students will get extensive hands-on training in several different areas of manufacturing,” said Matt Peacock, manufacturing engineering technology instructor. “Our graduates will not only leave with theoretical knowledge of manufacturing but will have been exposed to technical, mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic skills that will make them employable across a wide variety of industries.”

2022

COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Savannah Tech Students Dive Into Underwater Robotics

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avannah Technical College industrial systems students will compete in an underwater robotics competition in Spring 2022 thanks to funding from a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. The college was one of two community and technical colleges in the U.S. selected to participate in the first cohort that will compete in a brand-new level for the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Competition.

The MATE ROV Competition uses underwater robots to inspire, engage, and challenge students from elementary school through college in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As they prepare for the competition, students learn and creatively apply STEM to solve real-world problems and strengthen their critical thinking, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

In the next three years, up to 15 colleges will be included in the grant-fund-

ed project. MATE secured the NSF funding to expand the number of two-year institutions of higher education participating in its regional or global events.

Currently, two-year colleges are underrepresented in the competition. For Savannah Technical College, the grant will cover costs for professional development of industrial systems faculty and provide advanced-level training kits for student team development.

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is the local host of the Southeast Regional MATE ROV Competition, in partnership with MATE and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

“This grant gives Savannah Technical College students the opportunity to master high-end ‘blue tech’ skills,” said MATE Regional Competition Network Liaison and Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Director Jody Patterson. “We look forward to working with the college to provide skills train-

Savannah Technical College Industrial Systems students with Industrial Systems Instructor Richard Andrews (sitting left) 2022

ing as it builds its student team. I’m excited to see what they can do.”

The college’s industrial systems program will introduce marine trades with mechatronics training, while developing innovative tools for ocean research. Each spring in Savannah, student teams will demonstrate the underwater ROVs they build during the competition, in order to qualify for the MATE ROV World Championships.

STC’s industrial systems training equips students with problem-solving skills they need to diagnose complicated production line problems. Students master predictive maintenance by identifying problems before they happen to eliminate downtime. They learn the concepts of industry 4.0/smart factory, fluid power, programmable logic controls (PLCs), electricity, and mechatronics. Industrial systems is one of Georgia’s high demand jobs that qualify for the HOPE Career Grant.

Industrial Systems Instructor Richard Andrews

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

SGTC Training Essential Lineworkers

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ight weeks of classroom, skills field, and observation-based onthe-job training is providing regional utility companies with a much-needed workforce as well as great career opportunities for graduates of the South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) electrical lineworker apprentice certificate training program. Now it has incorporated a lineworker rodeo, where students can showcase their lineworker skills, as part of its graduation ceremony.

“The electrical lineworker program is a true partnership between business and industry, the college, and students. We provide business and industry with a trained workforce quickly, while fulfilling our mission to students by providing the skills needed to be successful in their chosen career field,” said South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford. “The business and industry partners also support the program through donations of equipment and scholarship funds to the South Georgia Technical College Foundation.”

Graduates of the program are hired by companies such as Georgia Power, Sumter EMC, Flint Energies, Crisp County Power, Diverse Power, UTEC, Pike, Mitchell EMC, Alabama Power, Snapping Shoals EMC, Jefferson Energy, and more.

SGTC added a new component to the state’s initial lineworker training program recently. Class 52 competed in the college’s first lineworker rodeo. Sixteen students were divided into four teams.

They competed in a written test, pole climbing, multi-task (lower service and put back up, change out fuse, make up a

44 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

t-bracket, identify two knots), change out pad mount transformer, transformer change out utilizing the line truck, and insulator replacement. Each event was timed with points deducted for safety violations, incorrect tasks, and incomplete tasks.

SGTC began its eight-week electrical lineworker apprentice certificate training in 2005 in response to industry demands to help students obtain entry-level employment with regional utility companies.

The program is open to anyone who is interested in obtaining employment as an electrical lineworker apprentice. For admission, students must be at least 18 years of age, have obtained a high school diploma or equivalency, and obtain a Class A CDL instructional permit before enrollment.

Students receive training on the proper use of lineworker tools, lineworker simulation, power industrial truck operation, and electrical safety. The field training includes learning to climb poles safely, working on electrical connections at high altitudes, and the operation of power trucks and trailers and other equipment. During the observation-based training, students observe 30 hours of lineworkers performing their job duties with partnering power companies. Students are guaranteed a job interview with utility companies upon successful completion of the program.

“South Georgia Technical developed the training curriculum for this program with input from representatives from electrical companies. Many of these same individuals serve on the advisory board for this

program to ensure the training remains effective and relevant,” said Watford.

The 12-semester hour, eight-week class meets Monday through Thursday. In the classroom, students learn about the AC/ DC electrical theory, field training, occupational safety, teamwork, line construction theory, line clearance, rigging, transformers, basic telecommunications, and utility metering.

Approximately two-thirds of the program is devoted to strenuous hands-on skills allowing students to develop a high degree of proficiency in the electrical lineworking equipment and procedures. All SGTC electrical lineworker students have the opportunity to earn a CDL Class A or B license as part of the program. To be employed as an electrical lineworker, students must be able to drive the specialized utility trucks and trailers carrying electrical poles.

SGTC is one of only two technical colleges in Georgia with on-campus housing.

Lineworker students can live on-campus in double-occupancy rooms for $1,350 each for the eight-week class. That price includes 19 meals per week, access to free Wi-Fi and cable TV. The cost of the 12-hour program is currently $1,531. Georgia residents are eligible for the HOPE Grant and HOPE Career Grant. Out-of-pocket cost for HOPE eligible students is $134 plus dorm fees, if applicable.

2022

COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

JCB Donates Equipment to Southeastern Technical College

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outheastern Technical (STC) is preparing students for the workforce thanks to a generous equipment contribution of two skid steer loaders and three new diesel engines from JCB Manufacturing Co. to enhance STC’s diesel technology lab in Swainsboro.

In the joint effort of Tonya Poole, vice president for JCB North America, and JCB Training Manager Mark Coberly, this partnership will help customize training to continue STC’s mission of fueling a skilled workforce.

“This manufacturer-level training will be a benefit to students even if they decide to go into the semi-tractor truck repair field,” said Diesel Technology Instructor Jeffrey Wyatt. “We will disassemble these units for students to learn the parts and assembly and then simulate real-life problems for diagnostic training.”

“We appreciate the contributions

by JCB,” said SGTC President Larry Calhoun. “This will enable our students to have better training and more training while going through our program.”

JCB North America manufacturing center is headquartered in Pooler, Ga. Many know JCB equipment as mechanical diggers and excavators on construction sites, where the machinery can be seen doing everything from digging holes to leveling and hauling dirt and gravel.

Known worldwide as part of J.C. Bamford Excavators Ltd., JCB equipment is used for construction, agriculture, waste handling, and demolition.

STC’s diesel equipment technology diploma program prepares students for careers in the diesel equipment service and repair profession. The program emphasizes 2022

Diesel Equipment Technology Instructor Jeffrey Wyatt (standing center) with Southeastern Tech students

a combination of truck, heavy equipment, and practical application necessary for successful employment depending on the specialization area a student chooses to complete. The diploma program generally takes four semesters to finish and students may begin any semester.

Three technical certificates of credit (TCC) are also offered in the diesel program at Southeastern Tech: diesel electrical/electronic system technician, diesel engine service technician, and diesel truck maintenance technician.

“This manufacturerlevel training will be a benefit to students even if they decide to go into the semitractor truck repair field,” said Diesel Technology Instructor Jeffrey Wyatt

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

SCTC Closing the Skills Gap in Advanced Manufacturing

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he economic development division at Southern Crescent Technical College (SCTC) is doing its part to assist local companies in closing the skills gap in the field of advanced manufacturing.

With labor shortages continuing to be a significant problem in the industry, many manufacturing companies in this area have turned to SCTC to help fill the void.

After talking with representatives from multiple companies, SCTC Executive Vice President for Economic Development Dr. Mark Andrews realized that there seemed to be a few recurring conversations among industry professionals. “Local manufacturing companies need someone to fill their vacant positions, and they need them now,” he said. “With a very tight labor market, it is imperative that industries develop their existing talent. We are happy to step in to fill our manufacturing partners’ needs through the customized training courses in advanced manufacturing offered through Southern Crescent Technical College.”

To help remedy the situation, the economic development division scheduled multiple open advanced manufacturing classes on the Griffin Campus to serve area manufacturers.

The topics include fluid power, electrical controls, and programmable logic controllers. Since these classes began in July 2020, SCTC has trained employees from a dozen companies including Berry Global, Certainteed Roofing, Dart, Inline Plastics, Interfor, Norcom, United States Cold Storage, R & B Metals, Rinnai, Scholle, Silon, and Vernay. An46 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

drews thinks that list will continue to grow in 2022 and beyond.

Taught by Johnny Dodson, director of economic development/advanced manufacturing, the classes are arranged into four to five hours of lessons that allow for flexibility in scheduling. The schedule is designed to allow companies to rotate maintenance employees and technicians to attend on alternate days of the week.

This allows the plants to maintain normal operations without additional downtime due to lack of maintenance support.

“We have seen great success with these classes,” Dodson said. “The hands-on training features industrial equipment that technicians work with day-in and day-out in their workplace.

This enhances the transfer of learned skills so that they can be used right away.”

“We are so pleased that we used Southern Crescent Technical College to further the knowledge and capabilities of our maintenance technicians,” said Bob Potts, plant manager of Rinnai America Corp. “We have found the training to be very effective in helping accelerate the abilities of our team and make them and our company more effective. We look forward to continuing and expanding our partnership with the college as Rinnai expands its operation in Griffin, Ga.” SCTC has now taken advanced manufacturing training to the customer, offering classes both on-campus and on-site at various manufacturing facilities. Dodson, with 19 years of teaching experience and 17 years of

industry experience in all areas of industrial systems technology and advanced manufacturing, provides the course material, training equipment, and the technical training for employees either in the college’s state-of-theindustry labs or in the student’s workplace.

In the facilities, courses can be customized and taught on multiple shifts, when needed. Some of the advantages to this arrangement are that the employees do not have to leave the plant, and the training can be focused on the specific skills needed at the facility where teamwork, in the team’s setting, is enhanced.

“Working with industry all these years, I understand the ebb and flow and the balance required to get employees trained, but I am also a big believer in doing what is best for everyone involved. Our goal is to have a variety of training opportunities that will sustain and enhance the skills of experienced as well as entry-level employees,” Dodson said.

“We are extremely excited to see the success of our advanced manufacturing courses, both for the college and for our manufacturing partners in the area,” Andrews said. “The support and training provided by Southern Crescent Technical College are unique, and we are thrilled to help fill the gap while contributing to the overall success of the company and community.”

2022

COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Southern Regional Tech: Women in Welding

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hree years ago, S’Nyha Brown was the only female in her Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) dual enrollment welding class at Worth County High School. In fact, she was the only female welding student at the whole high school. By the fall semester of 2021, ten more young women had joined her in the expansive welding workshop of the RamTech College and Career Academy.

The young women became interested in welding for reasons as numerous and unique as they are. Some are interested in the field because of the lucrative job opportunities available. Some want to master a useful skill. Some are carrying on a family tradition. Some are looking for a new form of creative expression for their art. Some are there because their friends convinced them to try.

Welding is a non-traditional career track for women. Female students currently make up just 10% of the welding program at SRTC. However, these girls are joining a rapidly growing number of women welders in America. In three years’ time, the number of professional female welders in the country increased by 30%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That is good news, because while the demand for skilled labor is increasing, the number of individuals learning the trade is not.

“In years past, it was common for a young woman like S’Nyha to be the only one in a trade class,” said SRTC welding instructor Cory Miller. “Fortunately, that is changing. These young women know that they are entering a field dominated by men, but they are not afraid.

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This industry anticipates more than 450,000 unfilled welding jobs in the very near future. My female students use this knowledge as motivation to continue pushing forward, to show that they can do everything that their fellow classmates can do and sometimes better. Young women are putting their foot in the door and preparing to claim some of those jobs. These welders take pride in the work that they complete and because of this attitude, they are succeeding in the classroom and in the field.”

Miller said that the dual enrollment program has given many of his students a jump-start in life. As RamTech dual enrollment students, they are able to test the waters of various careers to discover which path best suits them.

Students who continue to college after graduation can earn their diploma or degree much more quickly. This enables those students to become productive citizens, to provide for their families, and to succeed sooner.

Through dual enrollment, qualified 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students may take occupational and career courses while still enrolled in high school. In addition, 11th and 12th graders may take college-level academic core courses they can transfer to colleges and universities across the state. The state of Georgia has set aside funds to cover

the tuition for all qualified students.

Under the dual enrollment program, the college provides the textbooks.

Dual enrollment students who enroll in a Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institution or other Georgia colleges or universities receive credits that allow them to complete the requirements for their high school graduation and diploma.

In October 2021, the young women in the welding program had the opportunity to meet Stephanie Hoffman from the American Welding Society when she visited SRTC-Moultrie. Hoffman shared her story about how she became a welder, and the path that she took to get to where she is now. The young women found great inspiration in her talk and have been extremely excited to have a female role model in the trade.

“It has been my pleasure to watch each of these students work hard and advance their skill set,” said Miller.

“They have helped raise the standards in the classroom and show that if you want something, and are willing to work for it, then nothing can stop you from accomplishing your goals. This year we reflected on a quote from Henry Ford, ‘Whether you think you can or cannot, you are right.’ These ladies have shown that they can.”

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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

First Apprentice Lineman Class Opens at West Georgia Tech

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lass is officially in session for the students of the new apprentice lineman program at West Georgia Technical Col-

lege.

The inaugural class – Jaylen Baker of Bowdon, Jack Beverly of Carrollton, Justin Pate of Bowdon, William Teague of Douglasville, and Adam Warner of Fayetteville – began the four-week training program in October.

The apprentice lineman program, offered by the economic development division at WGTC, was created after local industry partners expressed a need for lineman training in the West Georgia area. It is the first non-credit lineman program offered by a technical college in the state.

“We are honored that our partners from Carroll EMC, Coweta-Fayette EMC, Diverse Power, GreyStone Power, and Georgia Power came to us with the need for a lineman program, and we are excited to work with all of them to fulfill that need,” said Vice President of Economic Development and Community Affairs Angela Berch. “It is a true collaborative partnership that we are proud to be a part of.”

The program was completely customized based on input from the industry partners. Students in the program will be trained with the necessary skills for entry-level lineman employment including safety, construction, pole climbing, and more. Students will also earn CPR, OSHA 10, and department of transportation flagging credentials and learn soft skills such as interviewing and resume writing.

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Recent Carroll EMC retiree Scott Teal is the instructor. Teal started his career at Carroll EMC as a meter reader in 1987. During his time there, he became an apprentice lineman, lineman, and ended his career this year as a system design staker.

“West Georgia Tech is fortunate to have Scott Teal as the instructor for the apprentice lineman program,” Executive Director of Economic Development Linda Sullivan said. “He recently retired after 34 years at Carroll EMC, so he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the job. He has been so supportive and dedicated to this program from day one, and his excitement about the students’ accomplishments in the first week of class has been contagious. We are thrilled to have him on board.”

Teal signed on as instructor of the program because he saw a great opportunity to share his knowledge with future lineworkers.

“As my generation retires, it is imperative for us to give back to our career to train up new linemen with the latest and newest improvements while continuing to keep the focus on safety,” Teal said. “This training will provide the foundational skills needed for future linemen as they begin their adult lives in a career that puts others first.”

Teal is already impressed with his first group of students and how they have exceeded his expectations.

“While I was reluctant to make a commitment to a new position so soon after retirement, the students’ eagerness to participate and improve

further drives my desire to see them certified to climb poles safely,” Teal said. “Based on my observations thus far, I am expecting a 100% success rate.

The support of area EMCs, Georgia Power, and Southwire Co. is a blessing. The generosity of these businesses shows their interest in developing talent to enter the workforce, and we sincerely appreciate their time, resources, and their aligned focus on safety.”

2022

COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Wiregrass Mechatronic Students Build Training Simulator for BlueTriton

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he mission of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is simple: workforce development. Through the college’s rigorous curriculum, hands-on training, and SkillsUSA chapter, students gain valuable, real-world experience. Three students from the mechatronic technology degree program and one from the engineering technology degree program worked as a team on a senior capstone project to build a blow mold trainer for BlueTriton Brands (formerly Nestlé Waters North America) in Lee, Fla. Mechatronics Instructor and Assistant Dean for Technical and Industrial Programs Joshua Whittington invited BlueTriton Operations Manager Dennis Taylor to discuss some project ideas the company had with the students.

As part of the project, students designed a simulator to meet the needs of the operation. After researching the costs, materials, and design, the Wiregrass seniors pitched their presentation to company leaders, who approved the plans and provided the materials. The project took nine weeks to design and construct.

The simulator, which is now being used at the BlueTriton plant, is designed to help new employees learn how to use the blow molds that create the water bottles manufactured there.

The employees can get plenty of practice time without slowing down production on the line, saving the company time and money. “This by far is the largest capstone project we have done,” said Whittington, “It was fascinating watching these students as my role was to be a sounding board, this was 100% their project.”

Mechatronics students Benjamin Sandusky, Parker Metcalf, and Joseph

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Gaudette, and engineering student Ryu Sindberg worked on the project while simultaneously training for the Mechatronics Contest at the 2021 SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference. The team won gold and advanced to the 2021 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

L-R Benjamin Sandusky (mechatronics), Parker Metcalf (mechaThis required additional tronics), Ryu Sindberg (engineering), and Wiregrass Mechatrontraining, giving them more ics Instructor and Assistant Dean for Technical and Industrial Programs Joshua Whittington. Not pictured is Joseph Gaudette real-world experience. The (mechatronics). team took home the gold medal at the 2021 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

“Wiregrass is excited to be able to work ization in mechanical engineering technolwith an industry like BlueTriton,” said Presogy, electrical engineering technology, or ident DeAnnia Clements. “The experience industrial engineering technology. our students have gained is enormous Graduates from mechatronics and enand something they will be able to have on gineering programs are getting hired by their resume for years.” local manufacturers in careers such as The mechatronics program is offered maintenance technicians, electrical techas an associated degree and technical cernicians, engineering technicians, automatificate of credit. Mechatronics is also oftion technicians, and robotics technicians. fered at several local high schools as dual “Many of our students are seeking to enrollment classes. The program teaches continue their education at a four-year skills in areas of industrial maintenance institution after they finish the program,” including electronics, industrial wiring, said Whittington. “These students are motors, controls, PLC’s instrumentation, gaining valuable technical skills before fluid power, mechanical, pumps and pippursuing an engineering degree that foing, and computers. cuses more on theory.” Wiregrass has an Similar programs offered at Wiregrass articulation agreement with Valdosta State include electrical and computer engineerUniversity where associates of applied sciing technology degree, engineering techence in engineering technology graduates nology degree, and an online computer can transfer to Valdosta State to complete engineering technical certificate of credit. a bachelor of science in engineering techThe engineering technology degree pronology. vides students an opportunity to qualify as engineering technicians with a special-

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*AY21

TCSG IMPACT 133,144 Credit Enrollment

42,040

46 Quick Start Projects Delivered

High Demand Career Field Enrollment

32,451 Quick Start Trainees 34,952

7,750

Graduates

Diplomas

2,248 Companies; Customized Contract Training

45,281

8,739

82,575 Economic Development Trainees

Certificates

Associate Degrees

27,531

673

27,470

19,242

5,931

11,174

Dual Enrollment

Adult Education Enrollment

High School Equivalency Graduates

Apprenticeships

HOPE Recipients

61,770 Awards

38,435

WorkSource Georgia Participants

29,491

HOPE Career Grant Graduates

Military Members, Dependents, & Veterans

18,760 HOPE Career Grant Awards

54,538

86.8%

In-field Placement Rate

99.1%

Placement Rate

Federal Financial Aid

50 | Talent Pipeline Magazine

2022

Georgians can now take the GED® test or ® exam in person or online on weekdays or weekends to earn their high school equivalency diploma.

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Talent Pipeline Magazine | 51 @GaOpportunities

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