Wiregrass Tech: Business & Industry Partners

The Fall 2021 semester has started, and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College continues its focus on best-serving businesses and industries within an 11-county region. Today's guests are DeAnnia Clements, Wiregrass Tech interim president, and April McDuffie,  interim vice president of Academic Affairs. 

Enrollment ramped up during the summer, and part of the success is the abundance of programs that fast-track a student's ability to get an education and enter their chosen career field. 

Building expansion continues on the Valdosta campus, with the Edward and Rhonda Mark Health Sciences Building opening in January 2022.  At the Coffee County campus, a new facility to expand diesel and CDL programs is under construction. 

Wiregrass Tech has been a regional leader in dual enrollment efforts for several years. Clements explains that with House Bill 444, which went into effect last year, dual enrollment credits are capped at 30 hours, along with other restrictions.

"We want to make sure the dual enrollment students have the opportunity to take advantage of of the funding allowed through legislation," says Clements, who emphasizes the importance of students taking classes to explore career options.

McDuffie explains Wiregrass Tech's adult education classes provide students flexibility to continue working their "day job" while earning college credits at night and online.

"We are making sure classes are available when they [students] need them," McDuffie says. "We've always had a robust online program, which helped during the pandemic when we had to shut down."

 With the large number of evening classes offered, Wiregrass Tech continues to recruit part-time instructors. McDuffie encourages professionals to visit Wiregrass Tech's job board to see the complete list. https://www.wiregrass.edu/about/employment

"Our instructors work very closely with industries and businesses in their field," McDuffie says. "They have that communication and rapport with them so that we can make sure we are training students for what those employers need."

Join us next time as we continue to promote South Georgia as a great place to live, work, play, and visit.

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South Georgia Insider is produced by Spencer Van Horn, Smalltown Broadcasting.