From STAFF REPORTS

AMERICUS – New and existing students enrolling at South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) have the opportunity to benefit from the expansion of the HOPE Career Grant announced by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal recently, said SGTC President Dr. John Watford. The changes will take place in January of 2018.
The HOPE Career Grant offers qualified students up to $500 in additional HOPE funds each semester if they enroll in specific programs that offer students greater career opportunities. Now, those program areas have been expanded to included qualified students in more high demand fields such as aviation, automotive, construction, electrical line work and logistics. There are now 17 different programs in the Technical College System of Georgia that qualify for these additional funds.
“These additional fields are the result of polling of industries, talking to local businesses, and speaking with economic development organizations to better understand the jobs skills needs that are unfulfilled,” said Gov. Deal recently. “All five new programs, as well as the preceding ones that are currently in our offerings, meet that criteria. By adding these five additional fields, we are incorporating moving trends of the workforce to ensure Georgians are qualified to meet the obligations of the jobs available today and in the future.”
This grant already offers additional funds to students pursuing certificates or diplomas in 12 high-demand fields: certified engineer assistant, commercial truck driving, computer programming, computer technology, diesel equipment technology, early childhood care and education, health science, industrial maintenance, movie production/set design, practical nursing, precision manufacturing, and welding and joining technology.
It will now cover aviation maintenance, automotive, electrical line work, logistics and construction fields. Majors in the construction field that will be included in January 2018 include air conditioning technology, carpentry, construction management, electrical construction and maintenance, masonry, and plumbing.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled about this additional opportunity to connect Georgia students with the state’s growing industries,” said Gretchen Corbin, Commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia. “We so appreciate Governor Deal’s support of technical education’s role in workforce development and his consistent encouragement to explore ways in which we can expand our services to Georgia students and businesses.”
“The Georgia Student Finance Commission is proud to partner with the Governor’s Office and our eligible colleges around the state to offer these new categories for the HOPE Career Grant as one more way we can strive to offer a postsecondary education to every Georgian,” said Caylee Noggle, Interim President of the Georgia Student Finance Commission.
Industries covered by the HOPE Career Grant were identified by Governor Deal’s High-Demand Career Initiative as strategically important to the state’s economic growth. The grant is among the many forms of financial assistance available through the Georgia Student Finance Commission.
“This is a great example of the unified approach Georgia is taking to ensure we have a strong workforce, which is the greatest need for locating and expanding companies. The strong partnerships among GDEcD, Trade Five, the Governor’s Office, TCSG, GSFC, and other public and private entities in the state testify to Georgia’s strengths in economic development,” said Ben Hames, Assistant Commissioner for Workforce at the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
To receive the HOPE Career Grant, students must first qualify for the HOPE Grant, which applies to diplomas and certificates only rather than the HOPE Scholarship, which applies to Associate and Bachelor degrees. The HOPE Grant is available for students of any age. A student can attend college part-time and does not have to have a specific high school GPA, but must maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA after enrolling in college.
The HOPE Career Grant is also available to recipients of the Zell Miller Grant, which, in addition to HOPE Grant requirements, stipulates that students must maintain at least a cumulative 3.5 GPA at the end of each college term.
While the HOPE Career Grant opportunities are open for any qualified student pursuing a certificate or diploma at a public college in Georgia, students within the Technical College System of Georgia have been the main beneficiaries. The number of certificates or diplomas in these 12 areas awarded to technical college students in the 2017 academic year was 17,777 up from 16,514 in 2016.
SGTC is currently registering students for Spring Semester. Classes begin Jan. 9. Students can register now through Jan. 8. SGTC has a one-stop admissions process that allows students to apply, enroll, and register in the same day. Students also need to apply for financial aid as soon as possible if they have not already done so.
To apply for admission to South Georgia Technical College in Americus call 229.931.2252 or 229.931.2760 or 1.800.928.0283 and in Cordele, call 229.271.4051. Students must complete an application for admission with a non-refundable $25 application fee.
SGTC currently offers over 200 different associate degree, diploma, and short term technical certificate of credit classes. Enroll today and get ahead in your chosen career. For more information about South Georgia Technical College and its programs of study, visit the website at: www.southgatech.edu.