Approximately 40 high school students with the EMPOWER Youth Leadership program sponsored by Flint Energies visited South Georgia Technical College to learn more about the workforce development educational opportunities available at SGTC.
Natalie Bradley, Flint Energies Community Connections Specialist, coordinated the visit with the EMPOWER YOUTH Leadership group, which consists of rising seniors from six different rural counties in the Flint Energies Service Area. The rural counties include: Talbot, Crawford, Macon, Marion, Schley and Taylor.
The students participated in a session on Work Ethics and Financial Literacy conducted by Tammy Hamilton, SGTC Accounting Instructor on the Crisp County campus. Tami Blount and Paul Farr from the SGTC Economic Development team, talked with the students about the Electrical Lineworker program and SGTC Academic Dean Dr. David Finley hosted the group in the college’s Career Exploration Training Trailer.
The EMPOWER Leadership group also had the opportunity to tour the SGTC Electronics program and talk with instructor Mike Collins. Industrial Electrical instructor Patrick Owen gave the group an overview of his program and also shared with them that electricians are in high demand.
Chad Brown, SGTC Precision Machining and Manufacturing instructor, talked with students about how everyday items are built utilizing the principles in his program area. He also gave the students a tour of his lab area and talked about 3-D printing.
Cosmetology Instructor Dorothea McKenzie, Barbering Instructor Andre Robinson, Criminal Justice Technology Instructor Teresa McCook, Agricultural Technology Instructor Matthew Burks, and Medical Assisting Instructor Sheri Bass also participated in the tours and gave the students an overview of their program areas.
After touring the program areas, the group enjoyed lunch in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology Center and were given an overview of the SGTC admissions and financial aid processes by Student Affairs Assistant Vice President Joshua Curtin and Financial Aid Director Kelly Everett. Charlene Williams, Deo Cochran, and Melissa Grantham from SGTC also helped with the tours.