Latest News

Students Place in National SkillsUSA Postsecondary Competition

Heart of Georgia Technical College students recently headed out to Kansas City to compete in the National SkillsUSA Postsecondary Competition.  Students competing in the competition were: Tom Alligood (Wheeler), Cody Darnell (Laurens), Lottie Rizzardi (Laurens), Sonya Simmons (Laurens), and Craig Swanson (Bleckley).  Stephen Allen (Laurens) and Jason Storey (Laurens) also attended as SkillsUSA State Officers.

HGTC is proud to announce two gold medal (first place) winners on the national level.  They are:  Lottie Rizzardi, Health Occupations Portfolio (Leadership) and Sonya Simmons, Employment Applications Process (Leadership).

Advisors David Hall and  Kim Meeks accompanied the students. 

Pictured (l-r):  Cody Darnell, Lottie Rizzardi, Kim Meeks, Sonya Simmons, David Hall, Craig Swanson, and Tom Alligood. 

DUBLIN MAKES IT FOUR APPROVALS FOR REGIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL

The Board of Education for Dublin City Schools unanimously approved the charter petition for the Heart of Georgia College and Career Academy (HGCCA) on Monday night, July 26.  DCS became the fourth board of education to approve the charter this month, after Laurens County’s board approved the same charter on July 15, and Dodge and Wheeler approved on July 22.  By approving the same charter, the four boards have agreed to collaborate to open and operate a charter school to help them serve students with career and technical high school courses and dual enrollment courses with Heart of Georgia Technical College (HGTC).  All of the school systems that have approved the charter are in the HGTC service area.

Dr. Chuck Ledbetter, Superintendent of Dublin City Schools, brought the charter to the board’s attention and recommended it for approval.  He commended the board for acting first, in July 2009, to hire a consultant and to make this opportunity available to the entire region. 

A public-private steering committee has been meeting for most of 2010 to plan the school, following up on the work of a regional Work Ready Team in 2008 and 2009.  Last summer, Dublin City Schools’ Board of Education formally voted to hire a consultant to study the charter academy concept in depth and to include it in DCS’s plans to convert its entire system to charter status.  DCS and Heart of Georgia Technical College also invited school superintendents, business and government leaders and parents from all seven counties and eight school systems in HGTC’s service area (Bleckley, Dodge, Johnson, Laurens, Telfair, Wheeler, and Wilkinson Counties and Dublin City) to work on a steering committee, which began meeting in March.  Representatives from Treutlen County have also attended.  The committee has been meeting monthly at HGTC and has also sent delegations to tour existing charter career academies in Brunswick, Vidalia and Newnan.

“College and career academies” typically offer high school students a “seamless” way to take career electives, to earn college credit while still in high school, and to acquire real-world job training at partnering businesses – all while increasing graduation rates throughout the region.

 “I applaud the willingness of these four boards to work with each other for the good of our region – both for our students and our economy,” said steering committee chairman Jay Studstill, who is also chairman of the Dublin-Laurens County Chamber of Commerce.  He pointed out that the steering committee has offered to attend BOE meetings of the other eligible districts in the region to answer questions, and he hopes that before the state approves the final version of the charter in early 2011, all eight school systems will have signed on.  The steering committee also plans to apply for a $3 million state facility grant this fall.

Cliett Receives HGTC Foundation Scholarship

                  Dublin—The Heart of Georgia Technical College (HGTC) Foundation has awarded the Chester Arthur Ryals, Jr./Merchants & Citizens Bank Scholarship to Rick Cliett of Jacksonville, Georgia. The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded in four $250 stipends.          

The scholarship is given in memory of Chester Ryals, a life-long resident of Telfair County. He was instrumental in the original 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) construction projects of the lodge at the Little Ocmulgee State Park, as well as the bridge over the Ocmulgee River going in to Abbeville. He is remembered most for his commitment to improving the quality of life for all Telfair County citizens by serving as the Mayor of McRae for 12 years during the 1970s and 1980s.

Rick plans to further his education by enrolling at the Heart of Georgia Technical College fall quarter.  He plans to study Radiologic Technology.

Pictured are Rick Cliett and Dr. Howard Abney, dean of the HGTC Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center in Helena.

Development Authority of Wilkinson County Establishes HGTC Foundation Scholarship in Honor of Frank G. Wall, Jr.

                  The Development Authority of Wilkinson County has partnered with the Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation to provide a $500 scholarship annually for a graduating senior from the Wilkinson County School System who will enroll in a program of study at Heart of Georgia Technical College.  The scholarship is established in honor of Mr. Frank G. Wall, Jr., a leader in his community and an advocate for technical education.   

“We are very pleased to partner with the Development Authority of Wilkinson County to offer the Frank G. Wall, Jr. Scholarship,” said Jenny Shuman, executive director of the HGTC Foundation.  “Mr. Wall is a former member of the HGTC Foundation’s Board of Trustees and is most deserving of this honor.”

For information on establishing a scholarship, contributing to an existing scholarship, or making a general contribution to the HGTC Foundation, contact Jenny Shuman at jshuman@heartofgatech.edu or 478-296-6117.

FPH Donates Textbooks to HGTC Foundation for Lending Library

Don Avery, President and CEO of Fairview Park Hospital, is shown presenting healthcare textbooks to Wendi Morris, director of library services at Heart of Georgia Technical College, and Christine Dowd, HGTC librarian. 

The books are a donation to the Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation and are designated for the Lending Library which is established to assist students in acquiring textbooks. Last year, the Lending Library helped 578 students out of over 700 requests.  Fairview Park Hospital has committed to supporting the Lending Library, on a quarterly basis, by supplying books designated for the healthcare programs.

The HGTC Foundation is a 501c3 organization which raises private funds to support the college, its programs and activities.   For more information, visit www.heartofgatech.edu or call 478-296-6117.

HGTC Foundation Awards McCullough Scholarship

                  Dublin—The Heart of Georgia Technical College (HGTC) Foundation awarded the Alton Lee McCullough Scholarship to Hannah Lumley of East Dublin. The $1,000 scholarship is awarded in $200 stipends over five quarters.

                  The Alton Lee McCullough Scholarship, which was established in August 2002, is awarded annually to a graduating senior from the Laurens County School System who enrolls in a technical or industrial program at HGTC. The scholarship is given in memory of Alton Lee McCullough, a life-long resident of Laurens County. “Mr. Mac” was a retired vocational teacher, school administrator, and farmer. He was a Laurens County School Superintendent from 1965 to 1973.

Pictured:  Doris Abney (McCullough family representative) and Hannah Lumley.

HGTC Student Places in PBL National Competition

Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) students at Heart of Georgia Technical College competed in the national competition which was held July 8-13, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The following students represented HGTC at the competition: Jason Story (Laurens), Andre Scott (Laurens), Toni Williams (Telfair), O’Shika Stanley (Laurens), and Javerica Payne (Laurens).  Jason Storey was awarded second place in Computer Concepts.

PBL is a national organization for business technology and information technology students. PBL provides opportunities to develop vocational competencies for business occupations. PBL also promotes a sense of civic and personal responsibility. District, state, and national competitions are open to students in this organization. Phi Beta Lambda members are also involved in various community and charitable endeavors as well.

HGTC Capping Ceremony

The Heart of Georgia Technical College Practical Nursing class held a Capping Ceremony in May 2010.  The guest speaker was Kathy Bailey.  Pictured (l-r):  Front Row – Deb Thomsen, HGTC instructor; Danee Brooks (Laurens); Ashton Smith (Laurens); Kathy Bailey, speaker; Renie Cordell (Laurens); Rachel Phillips (Treutlen); Sylvia Rozier, HGTC Allied Health Chair/Practical Nursing Department Chair/Instructor.  Back Row – Bobbie Lowther, HGTC instructor; Angie Tanner (Laurens), Susie Lowther, HGTC instructor; Tammy Averett (Emanuel);  Amanda Martin (Dodge); April Welch (Laurens); Jodi Williams (Telfair); Udy Andrews, HGTC instructor. 

HGTC Health Instructors Receive

 Training for Human Simulators

                  Allied Health instructors received training recently on the use of the human patient simulators now installed at Heart of Georgia Technical College according to Sylvia Rozier, the Department Chair for Allied Health. The Human Patient simulators allow students seeking a career in the health care field to “practice” the skills they learn through classroom instruction in a controlled, simulated environment.

                  “Our students will be some of the best trained and equipped health care professionals in the industry because of the technology we are able to utilize to support our instruction,” Rozier boasted as she explained how the simulator lab works. “Our students will have actual clinical experience before they ever get to touch a “live” patient. These human simulators are just that, they actually simulate real-time responses to treatment methods our students administer based on symptoms that are recognized and are controlled by our instructors,” Rozier explained. She added that the simulators can actually show vital signs, display emotion, and even cry.

Rozier said the simulators, which include an infant, a child and an adult, are highly technical in application of instruction. The instructors are able to electronically set parameters and inputs to create a typical medical scenario and then monitor how the student reacts to the human simulator.  The instructor can stop the session as needed to inject guidance and to discuss with the student the method of treatment they are prescribing for the patient. The instructor can even allow the treatment to continue to fatal status to show the students the mistakes to avoid. Now, the Allied Health Care instructors will be able to utilize the new equipment to its potential in providing instruction to their students. They spent many hours working with the Laerdal company instructors. Laerdal is the company that supplied the simulators.

The simulators were purchased this year with funds received from the award of a United States Department of Rural Development grant. The vision for the Heart of Georgia Technical College Allied Health Department was expressed by president Dr. Randall Peters when he stated, “We are extremely excited that USDA Rural Development had the foresight to award the grant to Heart of Georgia Technical College. With this award, we will better position ourselves in the community as a premier provider of advanced and cutting-edge training in the medical field. Our competent staff will certainly welcome the enhancement of this state-of-the-art training aid, and our students and the citizens of our region will certainly reap the benefits of this training environment.”

                  According to Rozier, the lab is an overdue but welcome teaching aide. “We will have the ability with this lab to bring more students through the program and to be able to increase the consistency in our training from classroom to practical training and exercises,” she explained. Beverly Trevisol, a Registered Nurse and manager of the CTC (Community Training Center) for the college, added, “The new human simulator lab comes at a good time for the students at our school. We have been struggling to make sure we are providing the best training for our students and our community organizations. This new technology will allow our students to participate and practice their skills in the most advanced medical training setting in education today.” The student’s transition into the healthcare workforce is with less stress and apprehension because the student has been given the opportunity to turn mistakes into learning experiences in a safe and controlled lab setting with an instructor nearby to support them.

                  Rozier added, “We, as educational providers at the college, recognize that the rural areas we serve are experiencing tough economic times, and the faculty and staff at HGTC are working to develop ways to help curb costs to students while continuing to provide the highest quality education possible.” According to student and community feedback solicited by the college, many times the medical students have to travel in excess of 50 miles just to practice and observe in true clinical environments. The long commutes for many of these students, coupled with the lack of availability for the actual medical environment to train in, have presented major challenges for the aspiring nursing and medical students until now. “Hopefully now, our students will not have to worry that their educational and training experience will be prolonged because of those factors,” Rozier concluded.

                  Allied health professionals make up 60 percent of the total health workforce. They work in health care teams to make the healthcare system function by providing a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic and direct patient care and support services that are critical to the other health professionals they work with and the patients they serve.

HGTC Foundation Welcomes New Trustees

Three new trustees were welcomed to the Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation Board of Trustees at the annual meeting held July 13, 2010.  Terri Dixon (Laurens), Ted Pooler (Laurens), and Kathryn Fisher (Bleckley) are the newest members to join the board. 

Dr. Dixon is a speech pathologist and is the owner of SLP Unlimited Services in Dublin.  Mr. Pooler is a retired educator with 35 years experience in the school system.  Mrs. Fisher is the President/CEO of the Cochran-Bleckley Chamber of Commerce. 

The Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation is a 501c3 organization which raises private funds to support the college, its programs and activities.

Pictured (l-r): Ted Pooler; Penny Mackey, president, HGTC Foundation Board of Trustees; Terri Dixon; Kathryn Fisher; and Randall Peters, HGTC president.

Lisa Livingston Honored with Emeritus Status

Lisa Livingston was honored with emeritus status to the Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation Board of Trustees at the board’s annual meeting held July 13, 2010.  Ms. Livingston served on the HGTC Foundation’s Board of Trustees in excess of 12 years (4 terms), before rolling off last year.  Ms. Livingston’s dedication to technical education is to be commended.

The HGTC Foundation is a 501c3 organization which raises private funds to support the college, its programs and activities.  

 Pictured (l-r):  Penny Mackey, president, HGTC Foundation Board of Trustees; Lisa Livingston; and Dr. Randall Peters, president, HGTC.

Dublin Exchange Charitable Foundation Awards Scholarships to HGTC Students

The Dublin Exchange Charitable Foundation recently presented scholarships to four Heart of Georgia Technical College students.  Each of the following students received a $750 scholarship: Daphne Catoe, Applied Business Technology (Johnson); Elaine Norsworthy, Early Childhood Education (Laurens);  Jaime Tripp, Respiratory (Dodge); and Sonya Simmons, Applied Business Technology (Laurens).

 The Dublin Exchange Charitable Foundation was established in 2005 to provide financial assistance to organizations and individuals in and around Laurens County, Georgia, through scholarships or contributions to be used in the advancement of higher education, prevention of child abuse, or any other charitable activity deemed worthy by the Board of Directors.  The Exchange Charitable Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) 4 corporation and does receive tax deductible contributions from the public. Since the inception of the Foundation, over $70,000 has been reinvested in our community.

Pictured (l-r) front row: Jaime Tripp; Daphne Catoe; and Sonya Simmons.  Back row: Marshall Jackson, chairman of the Dublin Exchange Charitable Foundation Board of Directors; Teresa Crafton, HGTC financial aid representative; Elaine Norsworthy; and Reece Lester, secretary, Dublin Exchange Charitable Foundation.

Aline DeLaPerriere, 2010 Georgia Occupational Adult Leadership (GOAL) winner from Heart of Georgia Technical College, attended the State GOAL Conference May 26-28 at the Hilton in downtown  Atlanta, Georgia.  Each state GOAL winner received an iPad from The Technical College System of Georgia and their respective college, recognizing them for being selected as their college’s winner.   Pictured is Dr. Randall Peters, HGTC president, presenting the iPad to Aline.

Johnny Warren, Senior Magistrate, Slated to be Keynote Speaker

for HGTC GED Graduation

                  Johnny Warren, senior magistrate of the Georgia Magistrate Court and local attorney, is slated to be the keynote speaker at the Heart of Georgia Technical College GED graduation ceremony.

                  Warren, a graduate of Dublin High School, received an Associate in Arts Degree from Middle Georgia College, a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Management Information Systems from Georgia College & State University and a Juris Doctor Degree from Atlanta Law School in 1979.

                  He has served as judge of the Small Claims Court of Laurens County and as Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate Court of Laurens County.  He is currently a senior magistrate of the Georgia Magistrate Court, as well as a practicing attorney specializing in elder law, wills, trusts, estates, probate, estate administration and entity formation and management.

                  Johnny is the author of the first edition of the Georgia Magistrate Court Handbook, the Georgia Magistrate Court Guide, and How to Collect Your Small Claim in Georgia.  He has taught continuing judicial education courses for the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education at the University of Georgia School of Law for more than twenty-five years.

                  Warren is a member of the Dublin Rotary Club and has served on many local boards of organizations and clubs.  He is also very active in his church.   

                  The HGTC graduation ceremony is free and open to the public.  Residents from Bleckley, Dodge, Laurens, Telfair, Wheeler, and Wilkinson counties, who have earned a GED diploma, will be recognized. Honor graduates will be acknowledged, and those graduates who achieved the highest scores on the GED exam will receive a plaque.  The event will be held July 29, 7 pm in the DuBose Porter Center in Dublin. 

Technical College System of Georgia Will Convert

from Quarters to Semesters Starting Fall 2011

Year-Long Student Advisement Period to Begin at Heart of Georgia Technical College;

New Website TCSGSemester411.com Helps with Info and Answers  

ATLANTA -- Georgia’s 26 technical colleges, including Heart of Georgia Technical College, will convert from the quarter to semester system, beginning with the fall semester in August 2011, a change that furthers seamless education in Georgia and improves the state’s workforce development.

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and has made a strong commitment to its 190,000 students to assist them through the conversion with minimal disruption to their studies. Beginning in the summer of 2010 and continuing through summer 2011, Heart of Georgia Technical College and its 25 sister colleges will offer one-on-one advisement sessions and individualized academic plans to all affected students.  Emphasis will be made on easing any student concerns about the conversion and their course credits, graduation dates and financial aid.

The start of the student advisement also signaled the launch of a comprehensive new website, TCSGSemester411.com which features a series of entertaining video messages about the quarters to semesters conversion, plus a Frequently Asked Questions page, the new academic calendar and host of other information for current and prospective TCSG students.

“The move to a semester schedule will be a complicated affair, especially if current and potential students wait to be advised on the change—they need to begin now to see what the change to semesters will mean to them, personally.  Once completed, however, this will be a move that everyone in Georgia will benefit from,” said Dr. Randall Peters, president of Heart of Georgia Technical College.

Moving from quarters to semesters will align the technical college academic calendar with those of the state’s K-12 school systems, the University System of Georgia and most of the state’s private colleges and universities. Eighty (80) percent of public and private colleges and universities in the U.S. follow a semester calendar.

               “The change to a semester academic calendar is in the very best interests of our students,” says TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson. “We’re a world-class educational system for workforce development, and a major part of our mission is to provide seamless education where calendars and curriculum align and lifelong learning is easily attainable for students of all ages and circumstances.”

              Semester scheduling offers technical college students many benefits, Jackson says, including additional instructional time, more in-depth coverage of course content and ease of transfer to other institutions, as well as calendar alignment that better supports dual and joint enrollment opportunities for high school students.

               “With a semester system, both students and their future employers benefit from more in-depth coverage of course content and extended learning opportunities,” says Jackson. “The TCSG is committed to workforce development and workforce excellence, and the conversion to semesters underscores this goal.”

              Dean Alford, chair of the state board that oversees the TCSG, adds, “Moving to semesters is a strategic initiative that will ensure greater educational and career opportunities for all of our students and better prepare them for their important roles in Georgia’s 21st Century workforce.”

              The conversion will not affect students’ state or federal financial aid, including Georgia’s HOPE grant and scholarship programs. Annual tuition under the new semester system will be roughly equivalent to the annual cost under the quarter system; however, tuition will be paid three times a year instead of four times a year. Class sizes are not expected to increase on the semester system, nor will a student’s grade point average be affected.

              TCSG staff and HGTC administrators have been at work throughout the last year planning and addressing all necessary curriculum, scheduling, financial aid, information technology and operational aspects of the conversion.  A comprehensive curriculum review and adaptation has also been underway at the state level for over a year to ensure the most relevant program content.

For more information, visit www.heartofgatech.edu  or http://www.TCSGSemester411.com/

HGTC Foundation Awards Brandon T. Lawrence Scholarship

                  Dublin—The Heart of Georgia Technical College (HGTC) Foundation awarded the Brandon T. Lawrence Scholarship at the Wheeler County High School Honor’s Night to Jessica McGowan of Alamo. The $500 scholarship will be awarded in $250 stipends.  Robbie Hobbs, high school coordinator for HGTC, presented the award.

                  The Brandon T. Lawrence Scholarship is given in memory of Brandon Timothy Lawrence, who at age 15 lost his life in a car accident. Because of Lawrence’s zest for life, high academic achievements, and love of people, his family established the scholarship.

                  Ms. McGowan plans to begin Heart of Georgia Technical College in the fall and her program of study will be Radiologic Technology. 

                  Pictured:  Robbie Hobbs presenting the award to Jessica McGowan.

HGTC Radiologic Technology Program Recognition Awards

Each year, the senior students in the Heart of Georgia Technical College Radiologic Technology Program vote for the “Technologist of the Year” award.  The technologists that work with the students during clinical rotations have a vast knowledge of the imaging sciences.  They encourage the students to be the best in their field.  The technologist honored this year is Ms. Leslie Pittman.  Ms. Pittman is a registered radiographer and is employed with Dodge County Hospital.  She graduated from Heart of Georgia Technical College in 2008.   

The seniors also vote for the “Clinical Instructor of the Year” award.  The clinical instructors voluntarily accept the position to work hands on with the students during clinical hours.  The clinical instructors supervise the daily activities of the students during clinical rotations and also act as liaison between the students, hospital administration and radiology instructors.  The clinical instructor honored this year is Mr. Brian McDonald.  After graduating from Okefenokee Technical College in Waycross, GA, Mr. McDonald joined the Radiology Department at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center as a registered radiographer.  He has worked in this capacity for 12 years.  He is a valuable asset to the radiology program and its students.  This is the 5th consecutive year that Mr. McDonald has been honored with this award.

The technologists at our clinical sites vote for the "Student of the Year" award.  Heart of Georgia Technical College is very proud of our students.  They each maintain a commitment to professionalism both in class and on clinical rotations.  The students work hard to perfect their role as upcoming radiographers.  This year’s Radiologic Technology Student of the Year is Stephen Thomas of East Dublin.  Stephen has excelled both clinically and academically throughout the program.  His professionalism and tremendous work ethic truly warrants this honor.  Stephen is employed at Dodge County Hospital as a registered radiographer.

Pictured:  Brian McDonald, RT(R); Stephen Thomas, RT (R); Leslie Pittman, RT (R)

Susan Coffee (Dodge County), chair of the Heart of Georgia Technical College Board of Directors, is shown receiving an appreciation plaque from Jim Rhodes.  Mrs. Coffee served as board chair July 2008 – June 2010.  Mr. Rhodes (Bleckley County) is the incoming board chair.

Jim Rhodes of Cochran is shown receiving a gavel from Susan Coffee, of Eastman.  This marks the beginning of his term as board chair of the Heart of Georgia Technical College Board of Directors.  Mrs. Coffee is the out-going board chair.

HGTC to hold political forum

Submitted by The Courier Herald

          The Heart of Georgia Technical College will be holding a political forum Wednesday night, July 7, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The forum, organized by the HGTC student government association will feature candidates for the State House of Representatives seat 143 and the eighth district congress. The forum will take place 13 days prior to the election on Tuesday July 20.

Everyone is invited.

        The forum discussion will be in a question and response format, not debate. All five candidates for State House 143, and three Republican candidates for eighth district congress will be present. Jim Marshall, the Democratic candidate for district eight, will be unable to attend, according to HGTC special services coordinator Janet Smith. "Jim Marshall is unable to attend, but those three (Republican candidates) will be here," she said. "We have a series of questions for them that they've all been given. I had a group of community leaders who came up with the questions for both of these races."

        The forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the HGTC DuBose Porter Center. Light refreshments will be served for the first half hour, while candidates speak individually with voters in the lobby or the auditorium. "They will each have an area out in the lobby where they can put a table with their campaign information, and answer questions before or during the program," Smith said. At 7 p.m. the HGTC student government president will give a welcome, and introduce Alan Thomas, who will serve as the moderator. The discussion will begin with candidates for eighth district congress. Steve Moore will serve as the timekeeper. Each candidate will be given 3 minutes to open, and will then be asked a series of different questions for each race. After all the questions have been answered, each candidate will be given three minutes to close. The topics discussed will include furloughs, healthcare reform, and the four-day school week, just a few of the many issues that will decide the winners of one of the most pivotal elections in national and state history.

        Smith and the HGTC student government association have done a lot to prepare for and publicize the event. "We've had several volunteers who have helped me with this," she said. "We are putting fliers out in the neighborhoods, and we've got signage up all around town. I hope that we'll have a big crowd." Smith hopes the forum will be helpful to voters that are undecided about whom to vote for in the elections. "I think with some of these questions, it might help them decide one way or another if they were on the fence about somebody and were not quite sure," she said.

"Maybe by coming and hearing the answers to some of these questions, it would help them make their decision."

        The HGTC encourages everyone to attend the forum, and hopes for a large turnout. Admission is free.

Newman earns perfect on Georgia Work Ready Assessment

Brent Newman understands that in today’s economy, an employee needs to know how to distance one’s self from the competition. It may mean the difference between keeping your job secure and getting hired over other applicants. So when Newman made a perfect score on his Georgia Work Ready assessment, he realized what the Work Ready program in Georgia was really trying to accomplish.

Newman works as a planner at Dublin’s Parker Aerospace facility where he manages customer orders, coordinates between sales and operations. Up until he took the Georgia Work Ready exam, he knew very little about the state initiative, which was created to ensure that Georgia's workers have the best skills, easy access to training and world-class job opportunities.

“I was curious and wanted to take it when they offered it here,” he said, adding that “I didn’t know what it was going to be at all.” Newman decided to take the test realizing that in the present job climate it never hurts to explore ways to get an edge in the workplace. “You shouldn’t take any job for granted today,” he said. 

Newman took the exam last fall, and to his surprise, he posted a perfect score, the first for Heart of Georgia Technical College’s service area, including the counties of Laurens, Telfair, Dodge, Wheeler, Bleckley and Wilkinson. “Since the exam has been administered here in our service area, we have had some perfect scores on individual parts of the assessment, but never before has HGTC had anyone score perfectly on all three subject areas,” explained Amy Harrelson, Work Ready Community Education coordinator for HGTC. “Newman is the first to score perfect on all three parts,” she added.

Launched in August 2006 through the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Work Ready program is a state economic initiative that aims to improve job training and marketability of the state’s workforce and drive future economic growth. It is the only initiative of its kind to be conducted through a partnership between state government and the state chamber of commerce. This partnership helps to ensure that companies can more reliably match the right people with the right jobs.

The backbone of the initiative is the Work Ready Certificate, which assesses the real world skills of Georgia's workers. Georgians can use their Work Ready Certificate to prove their work readiness to potential employers. Georgia also offers gap training aimed at helping to improve Certificate scores, enabling career growth and continued on-the-job success. This, combined with an innovative job profiling process that accurately identifies the exact skills required for specific jobs is helping create the perfect match between Georgia workers and jobs. 

 According to Harrelson, the Work Ready program offers benefits for everyone. 

“Businesses can use Work Ready in their hiring process and can quickly determine which candidates will best fit their job openings.  If they have a specific job profiled, a business can require an individual meet a minimum level Work Ready Certification,” she said.

“Individuals that do not meet the required level may or may not be considered for the position.  The program can also be a measure of the current employee level of certification, allowing employers to adjust their training to their specific job requirements,” Harrelson added.

 Individuals entering the job market or who are unemployed and looking for a job are encouraged to use the Work Ready Certification to determine their skill level. When the assessment is complete, the individual can use the free skills gap training to improve their skills and eventually improve their certificate level.  The Georgia Work Ready exam focuses on understanding in three areas — applied mathematics, reading for information and locating information. Test taker’s results on each portion are tallied to determine his or her Work Ready Certificate level. The levels include Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum, with Platinum being the highest level. The Georgia Work Ready has set a goal of having 25% of the state’s available workforce earn a GOLD level work certificate.

According to the Georgia Work Ready website, more than 135,000 residents have earned Work Ready certificates thus far, and several — including Newman — have achieved platinum level standing. Harrelson noted that since March 2009, nearly 6,000 unemployed Georgians with Work Ready certification have found a job. One hundred forty-two counties are actively participating in the Georgia Work Ready Community program, and of those, 45 counties have completed the requirements to become Certified Work Ready Communities. Eighteen Work Ready Regions have been formed since 2007. 

Parker Aerospace is a Georgia certified Work Ready company. Newman said he was impressed with the exam’s design and ability to measure competencies. According to Newman, “I was really impressed with this test. I felt like it really did a good job of testing the things that people needed to do.” Newman further added that the exam is also a great way to assess individual strengths and weaknesses and a means by which to bolster job credentials. “It’s a good way to go out and see how work ready you are,” he said. “It’s good to see if there are some things to brush up on to make me better at my job.”  He also encourages others to take the assessment says he thinks it is a great community tool.

To find out more about the Work Ready program, visit  www.gaworkready.org  or contact Heart of Georgia Technical College at (478) 274-3010.

HGTC student finds fulfillment in career choice

After working 27 years at a local manufacturing plant, an unexpected turn of events led Delois Jones to fulfillment doing the kind of work she truly loves.

Jones worked at the local Bassett plant before it closed a few years ago. That’s when she took a step back and re-evaluated her life and her career goals. She thought long and hard about what type of work she could do that wouldn’t feel like a job.

It was then she came to the realization that for her, working with children has never really felt like work at all.

“I decided I’ll just go to school to work with children,” she said.

And years after graduating high school, she enrolled at Heart of Georgia Technical College with personal goals set for success.

“It was exciting,” she said of her second school experience. “As you get older, you’re wiser.”

 Surprisingly, she had few apprehensions.

“That’s what your instructors are there for — to teach you,” she said. “All you have to do is ask.”

She says instructors including Paula McGowan and others pushed her to succeed.

“I think that’s what really motivates them,” she said of instructors such as McGowan, who also taught her in high school.

With the encouragement of her instructors and her children, the wife, mother of three grown sons and grandmother of three earned her early childhood diploma in 2005. She started working at Big Apple Learning Center the same year.

Later this summer, she will take on the role as director of Big Apple’s new East Dublin location.

Big Apple cares for children six weeks to 12 years old and is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Jones says she finds the greatest joy in watching children learn and develop day by day.

“When you love children you’re there to motivate them and care for them.” said Jones.  “If you do something, do something you love.”

FIRST Program awards scholarships to HGTC students

Eight Heart of Georgia Technical College students have earned an extra incentive to further their careers in early childhood education and enhance their business skills.

HGTC students Robin Cullison, Carol Holt, Brittany Price, Jessica Warnock and Ashley Wynn, all employees of Micah’s Playhouse; Shenita Moore of Saxon Street Daycare; Deborah Shepherd, owner of Pitter Patter Daycare; and Shirley Fortune, owner of Fortune Christian Daycare Center, are the first local recipients of $1,200 FIRST scholarship awards through Georgia’s Bright from the Start program.

The FIRST (First-time Incentive to Raise Standards for Teachers) program is offered through the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning Bright from the Start program.

Unveiled in October 2009, the scholarship program aims to reward early childcare and education students and professionals through funding from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Thus far, more than 700 students and professionals have already pre-qualified for the scholarships across the state.

To be eligible, students must be presently enrolled in or have recently earned credentials in an early childhood care program, earning a technical certificate of credit, diploma or associate degree from an accredited, HOPE-eligible public or private school or program.

All of the HGTC recipients are enrolled in the Certified Development Associate certificate program and are slated to graduate at the end of summer quarter.

Moore, one of the HGTC scholarship recipients, says she plans to use the funds to purchase items for her work at Saxon Street Daycare.

“We’re always spending money out of our pocket,” she said. “It will help with a lot of educational tools.”

HGTC offers an associate’s degree and a diploma in early childhood care and education, and technical certificates of credit in early childhood program administration, early childhood care paraprofessional specialization, early childhood program administration, and new for fall quarter 2010, early childhood care and education basics. The college also has an onsite lab for students to observe children and put into practice the skills they learn in class.

HGTC early childhood program instructor Gail Clark said the FIRST scholarship funds are a great benefit for those interested in going back to school, but she stressed that students must pre-apply for the scholarship program by fall or winter quarter of this year.

“Thank goodness the state came forth with this money,” Clark said.

Eligible FIRST scholarship applicants must also work with a family day care or a public or private Georgia Pre-K program with children ages 12 or younger. Prospective recipients must complete a pre-application process and be employed with the same employer for at least three consecutive months in teaching or an administrative position.

Bright from the Start administers and facilitates Georgia’s Pre-K program, oversees licensing at childcare centers and home-based childcare and federal nutrition programs.

The one-time scholarships are available through July 1, 2011.

For additional information on the FIRST scholarships, visit www.caresolutions.com or call (800) 227-3410. For more information on HGTC’s early childhood program call (478) 274-7799 or (800) 200-4484 or e-mail gclark@heartofgatech.edu.        

HGTC GED students organize block party

    When Corshea Thomas’ GED class set out to plan a service learning project, they sought to organize an event that would benefit their own community.

For the past several weeks the students, who meet weekly for classes at the Southside’s Oconee Cultural Center, have been planning and fundraising for their upcoming project — a block party for local youth in the community.

    “They [the students] really wanted to give something back to their own community,” said Thomas of her students’ efforts, which she added have gone above and beyond in putting the whole event together.

    The event will feature food, music and a school supply giveaway, all put together by the students as a means of giving back to the community.

A drop off box will be set up later this month at Walmart so residents can deposit items to be given out at the block party. The students will be on hand to collect items July 10 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Walmart and a drop off box has also been placed on the HGTC main campus. The students will hold a car wash fundraiser in the parking lot of the Oconee Center on July 15. All of the proceeds will go toward school supplies and items for the block party.

    Thomas encouraged the community to donate items for the school supply drive.

“We really just want people to donate school supplies so that we can ensure that every student in grades kindergarten through fifth on the Southside has school supplies when they go back to school,” she said.

    Thomas says it was her aim to have the upcoming community outreach event serve as a learning tool for her students as well, to use the activity to get them to interact with others outside their own neighborhood while they also work to improve their writing and communicative skills in the process of pulling the event together.

    “They’ve just gone way beyond the call of duty for this event,” she said of her students.

    The Southside GED site has been up and running for a little more than a year.

“The students primarily are area residents,” commented Dr. Dahlia Allen, Heart of Georgia Technical College dean of adult education, adding that the next nearest class is four miles away. “The class has been very successful.”

Allen says she is pleased that the Southside GED classes have been such a success and she is excited to see the students involved in community outreach. She says the project will serve as a boost to the Southside neighborhood.

   “The City and the Southside Community Association Board of Directors have been very generous in providing space,” she said.

    HGTC also offers free traditional GED classes in each of its six service counties: Laurens, Dodge, Bleckley, Telfair, Wheeler and Wilkinson counties.

Locally, HGTC offers free basic skills and GED prep classes Monday through Thursday on the main HGTC campus, as well as the Oconee Cultural Center on Wabash Street, Communities in Schools on N. Calhoun Street and at Holly Spring Baptist Church in East Dublin.

    Summer quarter classes begin July 12. Morning, day and evening classes are available.

For more information on HGTC’s Adult Education program, contact (478) 274-7848 or visit www.heartofgatech.edu.

    The Southside Block Party will be held Saturday, July 31 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Oconee Cultural Center parking lot.