(Marietta, Ga. – June 30, 2016)
Chattahoochee Technical College has a longstanding record of providing students with quality education through traditional classroom courses as well as online training, and as the college closes out its fiscal 2016 budget, officials are looking toward an even brighter future.
The college, which is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, offers 70-plus associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in 45 programs of study, attracting an average of 15,000 students each year. In addition to credit courses, CTC also offers the community custom-designed non-credit training courses, adult education classes as well as special programs aimed at current high school students.
More than 2,854 students graduated from Chattahoochee Technical College this academic year, which is an increase from the previous year by about 300 students. The most popular area of study for students was Healthcare Sciences. This was followed by programs in the area of business, including Accounting, Business Administrative Technology, Business Management, Marketing Management and programs in the field of Automotive, including Automotive Technology, Auto Collision Repair, Automotive Fundamentals and other Automotive Certificates.
With a commitment to keeping the cost for students competitive and affordable while still providing a quality higher education, Chattahoochee Tech must rely on the philanthropy of alumni, businesses and other neighbors in the community to help bridge the gap between state funding and the cost of operations. Chattahoochee Technical Foundation awarded 56 scholarships and 15 emergency grants for a combined total of $67,526.
According to Student Financial Services Executive Director Jody Darby, more than $7.7 million in state financial aid was awarded in the summer 2015, fall 2015 and spring 2016 terms.
“CTC has also disbursed $10.6 million in federal aid to students to date,” Darby said, adding that these numbers are not official until the fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30, has officially closed.
Looking toward the future, Chattahoochee Technical College will continue to build on its reputation of placing trained professionals into the workforce by rolling out two new programs during the coming academic year.
A Kitchen and Bath Designer certificate program will be offered at the Woodstock Campus at the start of the fall semester, which begins Aug. 22. The new certificate program is intended to prepare students to work as specialized interior designers with the knowledge of design layouts, material options, lighting requirements and business practices. Students will also learn presentation techniques and how to apply solutions for environmental and energy efficiency as well as accessibility within these critical rooms of residences.
A new degree program that will allow students to gain the skills needed to succeed in the 21st Century machining industry is being planned for the North Metro Campus in Bartow County. The Computer Numerical Control (CNC) diploma program will include setup, programming and operation of CNC machining centers and CNC turning centers.
“CNC machining is a process used in manufacturing that involves the use of computers to control machine tools. CNC technicians are responsible for loading the machine instructions into a computer, setting up the machine and tooling, and then starting the machine. The machine will make the part with minor interaction until it’s time for another part,” said CNC Instructor Jack Dempsey.
In addition, Chattahoochee Technical College will have a shared Air Conditioning Technology (AIRC) instructor with Bartow County Schools, announced Jason Tanner, vice president for academic affairs. According to Tanner, CTC and Bartow County Schools are splitting the funding of this shared position. The instructor will be housed at the Bartow County College and Career Academy and the program will be used as a pathway for Move on When Ready students.
The Move on When Ready program at Chattahoochee Technical College provides an opportunity for students to dual enroll at a participating eligible public or private high school, or home school program in Georgia, and the college. Students take coursework at Chattahoochee Tech for credit toward both high school graduation or home study completion and postsecondary requirements.
During the 2015 spring semester, 454 high school students participated in MOWR, and by the fall of 2015, there were 624 students participating in the dual enrollment program. The spring semester wrapped up with 696 dually enrolled students, and the summer session currently has 244 Move on When Ready students.
“This is the first year that MOWR students have been permitted to attend during summer semester,” said CTC High School Coordinator Crystal Cleland. “We currently have 881 students registered for the fall semester; however, registration is still active (and increasing).”
Chattahoochee Technical College’s Center for Corporate and Professional Education (CCPE) will also continue its efforts to enable the citizens of Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Gilmer, Pickens and Paulding counties to develop necessary skills to further their career goals.
Through business and industry support programs, the division aids in the creation and retention of jobs by supporting existing companies, entrepreneurs and new companies coming to the area. CCPE courses are designed for busy working students and are offered at convenient times at multiple campuses and online.
To support the new academic programs and in an effort to continue the success of other programs being offered at Chattahoochee Technical College, the college has 499 full-time employees and 464 part-time employees, said Ron Price, vice president of Human Resources.