Helping Transition NW Georgia’s Students to College and Careers

November 6, 2018
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More than 200 high school students took part in the annual Georgia Northwestern Technical College Transition Fair November 2. The event is specially designed each year to specifically serve students in helping them move from their high school years to adulthood. 

Transition Fair attendees toured the college campus to get a first-hand look at many of the programs offered by GNTC. More than a dozen programs within the college’s Business Technology, Health Technology, Industrial Technology, Nursing and Allied Health Technology, and Public Service Technology divisions were on display.

Students, parents, teachers, and administrators from Chattooga, Dade County, Heritage, LaFayette, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Ridgeland, Ringgold, and Trion High School made the trip to GNTC’s Walker County Campus in Rock Spring, Georgia for the fair. This year’s event was organized and sponsored by the Catoosa County and Walker County Parent Mentors, Sharon Aalfs and Michal Jones.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College Automotive Technology Program Director Troy Peco gives a tour of his program’s facilities on the Walker County Campus during the 2018 Transition Fair November 2.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College Automotive Technology Program Director Troy Peco gives a tour of his program’s facilities on the Walker County Campus during the 2018 Transition Fair November 2.

“This is an essential tool for high school students as they prepare each day for everyday life, as well as adulthood,” said Georgia Northwestern Technical College Student Life Coordinator Dione Waddington. “The fair is a very comprehensive way to get these students and their parents all of the information they’ll need to be successful once their high school years are behind them.”

GNTC’s Floyd County Campus in Rome, Georgia will be hosting a Transition Fair Friday, November 9, as well. GNTC has six campuses across Northwest Georgia. Students attend classes on the Catoosa, Floyd, Gordon, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield Murray Campuses throughout the year.

Among the vendors who spoke with those attending the November 2 event were the Epilepsy Foundation, Georgia Advocacy Office, LifeLine, Inc., Walker County Fire Explorers, Benefits Navigator, Care Source, Chattanooga Goodwill Industries, ARC Driving School, Kaleidoscope, LearningRX, Wells Fargo Bank, Signal Centers, Inc., Cherokee Regional Library, Parent-To-Parent of Georgia, GCA Centre for Adult Autism, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency-Roosevelt Warm Springs, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency-Assistive Work Technology, Sexual Assault Victim Advocacy Center, Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities, as well as representatives from Dalton State College, and Kennesaw State College.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of Northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma, or a certificate in business, health, industrial, or public service career paths. This past year, 16,402 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 7,750 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 8,652 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start.  GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.

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