Working together to train NW Georgia’s professionals

With the population closing in on one million people in Northwest Georgia, combined with the more than 300 EMT openings currently available in the Peach State, it was an easy decision for two regional foundations to team up to make a gift to Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC).

Betts Berry with the Jewell Foundation and Steve Tarvin with the Pierce Foundation stopped by the college’s Catoosa County Campus in Ringgold, Georgia over the holidays to see the end result of a $35,000 joint gift to the Paramedic Technology program. Berry and Tarvin not only represent these foundations, they were also both students in the very same academic program in the 1980’s.

Thanks to the help of area foundations, Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) uses this brand new Ambulance Simulator during Emergency Medical Services (EMS) classes on the Catoosa County Campus in Ringgold, Georgia. GNTC owns a similar trainer and is used on the Floyd County Campus in Rome, Georgia. Shown standing in front of the simulator, from left, are Mitch Sanford, First Bank of Dalton Executive Vice President; Jason Gamel, GNTC Director of Recruiting; Becky Redd, Mohawk Industries Learning Director; Damon Raines, Walker County Schools Superintendent; Carolyn Walker, Walker County Tax Commissioner; Scott Tucker, United Community Bank President; Linda Case, Dade County Executive; Pete McDonald, GNTC President; Doris White, Blood Assurance Community and Public Relations; Jay LeGrande, Silver Comet Furniture; Jay Still, Grainger Manager; Michelle Beatson, GNTC Institutional Advancement Liason; Sherrie Patterson, Sutter Family Practice Manager; and Valerie Brown, Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy Instructor. Sitting in the simulator are, from left, Steve Tarvin, Pierce Foundation; Betts Berry, Jewell Memorial Foundation; and Claudio Leyssens, GNTC EMS Instructor and Clinical Coordinator.

With more than 25 years of experience in Emergency Medical care and instruction, GNTC Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program Director Claudio Leyssens will be using their brand new ambulatory simulator to help educate students enrolled in the college’s certificate and diploma programs. Classes are offered on both the Catoosa County Campus (Ringgold, Georgia) and Floyd County Campus (Rome, Georgia) throughout the year

GNTC offers more than 200 other programs online and on-campus. Campuses are located in Ringgold (Catoosa County Campus), Rome (Floyd County Campus), Calhoun (Gordon County Campus), Rockmart (Polk County Campus), Rock Spring (Walker County Campus), and Dalton (Whitfield Murray Campus).

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, 14,151 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 7,956 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 6,195 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start.  For more information about GNTC, visit us at GNTC.edu or contact a Student Help Center on any one of our six campus locations at 866-983-4682.  For information online, visit the college at GNTC.edu, as well as on GNTC’s Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Google+, WordPress, and YouTube channels. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.

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Don Foley Assistant Director, Marketing and PR