It was a homecoming of sorts for Ray Fuller, a graduate of South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) in 1962. Now residing near Lanett, Alabama, Fuller returned recently to tour the SGTC campus with his wife, Jo Ann. The couple were accompanied by SGTC Academic Dean Dr. David Finley as they explored the campus and spoke with students and faculty.
When he was a student at South Georgia Tech, Fuller studied machine shop technology under instructor Clarence Sanders. “My whole life’s work was based on knowledge I got right here,” Fuller said.
Upon graduation, Fuller worked briefly at a small machine shop before being drafted into the Army. After basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, he received advanced engineer supply school training at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. He was then deployed to Korea where he served a total of 16 months.
Upon returning home, Fuller started work in a tool and die shop. He advanced quickly to become a tooling engineer, then was put in charge of tool procurement which required a lot of travel all over the United States. Fuller enjoyed his work and stayed for 29 years until the company folded.
Fuller decided to retire at that point, but his retirement only lasted a few months. A longtime friend bought a company that was having quality control issues and asked Fuller to come onboard temporarily to help out. Fuller worked with the employees to correct the quality issues, and that temporary job lasted another 16 years.
Fuller is proud of his career and his accomplishments. He credits the quality training at South Georgia Tech for his successes. “If I had not come here and gotten the education, I would not have gone down any of those roads.”
Much has changed at SGTC in the decades since Ray Fuller graduated. The campus has grown. The program offerings have expanded. The technology has advanced.
One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the value of a quality technical education from South Georgia Technical College. Students at SGTC receive hands-on training to develop the skills they need for employment in a variety of in-demand occupations – skills that will serve them for a lifetime. For more information on all the programs offered at South Georgia Technical College, visit www.southgatech.edu.