Maiyah Willis, a dedicated Aviation Maintenance student at South Georgia Technical College (SGTC), recently shared her powerful story of how the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program has transformed her life during a recent meeting of the Middle Flint Workforce Development Board in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology Center on SGTC’s Americus campus.
Encouraged by her grandmother and determined to pursue a career in aviation despite no prior knowledge of the field, Maiyah explored options on the SGTC website and chose to pursue the Airframe and Powerplant Technician program to gain a full understanding of aircraft maintenance. After enrolling in 2024, she quickly learned about the WIOA program and applied—an experience that proved to be pivotal.
“The WIOA program took so much off my shoulders,” Maiyah said. “They pay for our testing, help with purchasing tools, and even provide financial support just for attending school. Without it, I don’t know how I would’ve made it this far.”
Maiyah has maintained a 3.5 GPA, never had to repeat a class, and has already completed some of her FAA exams with support from WIOA. She’s now helping to spread the word, encouraging other students to apply: “You won’t know if you’ll get it unless you try.”
Despite the high costs of testing, Maiyah’s persistence and the backing of WIOA have kept her moving forward. She’s even helped classmates get connected to the same support.
“To some, it might seem like a little bit of money, but to people like me, it’s everything,” she said. “This program changed my life.”
To learn more about the WIOA program at South Georgia Technical College, call (229) 931-2172 or visit www.southgatech.edu.
South Georgia Technical College offers more than 200 programs and supports students through initiatives like WIOA to ensure career success. Apply online now for spring semester. Classes begin January 7.