#1418 | October 31, 2013

$290,000 grant to support economic independence

SAVANNAH – United Way of the Coastal Empire announced today that it selected Savannah Technical College as a strategic initiative partner for economic independence with a grant for $290,000.

“United Way is excited to provide funding to support Accelerating Opportunity, a nationally recognized workforce development program at Savannah Technical College,” said Gregg Schroeder, President and CEO of United Way of the Coastal Empire. “This new funding venture creates more than just jobs. It will provide individuals with the education and work-related skill-set enabling them to positively change their lives.Connecting unemployed and low-income individuals to jobs with family supporting wages is the goal of our Economic Independence impact area.”

Economic Independence is one of the impact areas of particular importance for United Way of the Coastal Empire. The goal of this grant is to build career pathways that provide career advancement opportunities for lower-skilled workers and job seekers to obtain family-supporting wages. Research indicates that communities with a stable, skilled workforce are more economically competitive and have the potential to provide improved opportunities for residents by attracting businesses and revitalizing neighborhoods.

“We appreciate the United Way’s support of our workforce development programs and applaud its visionary support of economic independence,” said STC President Dr. Kathy Love. “We know that those without a high school diploma have challenges gaining securing meaningful employment. This program will provide a combination of GED^® preparation classes and training that will put these students on the path to self-sufficiency. Their success will create a ripple effect throughout our communities.”

The Board of Directors of United Way of The Coastal Empire (UWCE) set aside $290,000 from last fall’s annual charitable giving campaign for a Strategic Initiative; an opportunity to identify and invest in an innovative strategy that effectively addresses a need in the community. After extensive workshops with UWCE partners and stakeholders throughout the spring and summer of 2013, the focus of the Strategic Initiative turned to the area of Economic Independence and UWCE invited funding proposals for a multifaceted strategy that is effective in connecting individuals to employment with self-sustaining wages. The UWCE Vision Council received 12 submissions, and the Accelerating Opportunity program of Savannah Technical College stood apart as an innovative approach to creating career opportunities, while augmenting UWCE investments in other services across our community.

Accelerating Opportunity employs an evidence-based, nationally recognized best practice approach to Career Pathways training that focuses on linking training, basic skills education, and credentialing to high demand jobs that provide adults a pathway to a family sustaining wage ($12/hour with benefits, $15/hour without benefits). The program recruits from career pathways that not only represent high demand job opportunities and pay family-supporting wages, but also offer opportunities for career advancement.

Traditionally, students must possess a high school/GED^® prior to enrolling in courses that lead to a degree or certificate. Through Accelerating Opportunity, students will be enrolled in GED^®-prep classes, while accelerating their training for work. The collaboratively taught classes integrate basic skills with practical, occupational training that build toward degrees and/or certificates. Students will work with a career navigator that will help them succeed in the program, overcome obstacles, and ultimately graduate with the credentials.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a person with a high school or GED^® credential earns $10,000 more annually than a non-high school graduate. The income level increases substantially for those who go on to complete a college certificate, diploma or degree program. There are more than one million adult-aged Georgians who do not have a high school education or GED^® diploma. More than 50,000 of these adults live in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties.

Savannah Technical College is now accepting students into three programs for Accelerating Opportunity for spring 2014: aircraft structural, patient care technician and welding. This program is geared to unemployed or underemployed adults without a GED^® or high school diploma. For more information about Accelerating Opportunity, please contact STC’s Dean of Adult Education Brent Stubbs (912.443.5352 or bstubbs@savannahtech.edu).

 

About United Way of the Coastal Empire

The mission of United Way of the Coastal Empire is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities.United Way conducts an annual fundraising campaign and invests donor contributions in programs and services within four impact areas: Education & Youth Development, Economic Independence, Health & Wellness and Basic Human Needs. United Way serves Bryan, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties. United Way is a volunteer driven organization that involves hundreds of community leaders, professionals and other volunteers in every aspect of our business, including fundraising, marketing and funding decisions, to ensure that your donations are truly making a difference.

Thanks to the Herschel V. Jenkins Trust Fund and other income which covers almost all administrative and fund raising costs, donor contributions go to help people in need. In addition, United Way of the Coastal Empire has earned Charity Navigator’s highest level four- star rating for sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability for the fifth consecutive year. Only five percent of the charities evaluated by Charity Navigator have received at least five consecutive four-star evaluations, indicating that United Way of the Coastal Empire is an exceptional organization. For more information, please visit www.uwce.org.

 

About Savannah Technical College and STC’s Adult Education Program

Savannah Tech’s Adult Education Program serves those who need to improve their basic literacy and math skills, improve their oral and written English, practice for the GED^® test to attain a high school equivalence degree, and prepare for college. Instructors also help students with science and social studies test preparation for GED^® testing. STC teaches adult education classes in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties with multiple locations in each community. Adult education classes for GED^®-prep are currently free for all U.S. citizens.

 

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Accelerating Opportunity/STC Adult Education Contact: Brent Stubbs
912.443.5352 or bstubbs@savannahtech.edu

STC Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

#1417 | October 17, 2013

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College has selected Joseph Powell as its Dean of Industrial Technology. Prior to this position Powell was STC’s department head for Drafting Technology.

Powell will lead coordination and supervision of quality technical programs of study for the Industrial Technology division that include Air Conditioning, Automotive Collision Repair, Automotive Technology, Commercial Truck Driving, Construction Technology, Drafting, Electrical Construction and Maintenance, Electrical Utility Technology, Electrical/Computer Engineering Technology, Historic Preservation, Industrial Systems, Machine Tool and Welding/Joining Technology.

He has more than two decades of college-level instruction experience in drafting, manufacturing and engineering coursework. He is a member of the board of directors for the Screven Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the American Design Drafting Association.

He received a master’s degree in curriculum and technology from the University of Phoenix and holds a bachelor of science in technology education from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga.

Savannah Technical College’s Industrial Technology division offers programs that prepare students for careers in manufacturing, welding, and technical and industry mechanics. The division’s faculty members bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the curriculum including hands-on laboratory environments, making learning a richly rewarding and engaging experience. Classroom training combined with industry based projects prepare graduates to meet the demand of community employers. According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics,production occupations will grow more than 13% during the next decade – including industrial mechanics, machinists, welders, automotive technicians, electricians and equipment assemblers.

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Industrial Technology Academic Advisor: Melanie Smith
912.443.5859 or msmith@savannahtech.edu

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

#1416 | October 16, 2013

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College has selected Jeff Ashmen as its Military Outreach Coordinator. He will coordinate a variety of initiatives enabling current and former military personnel, as well as their family members, to enroll in the college, graduate, and engage in careers with our local industries and businesses.

Ashmen brings an extensive background in the U.S. Army to Savannah Tech. He has more than three decades of experience in key military positions, culminating as the 3rd Infantry Division Command Sergeant Major at Ft. Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

He is actively involved with organizations that support military personnel, military retirees, their families, and activities involving the military community throughout our service delivery area.He is a member of the Georgia Military Affairs Coordinating Committee, the Hinesville Military Affairs Coordinating Committee, the Landings Military Family Relief Fund, and the Regional and Local Military Retiree Council.

Ashmen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Park College in Parkville, Mo. His Army training includes the Sergeants Major Academy and Battle Staff Course.

Savannah Technical College is a regionally accredited Institution of Higher Learning and approved to participate and administer Veteran’s Education Assistance programs. The College’s faculty and staff are proud to assist veterans, military members, dependents and spouses in furthering their education. Veterans and survivors or dependents of veterans may be eligible for educational benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and active duty service members and their spouses may be eligible for tuition assistance.

 

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

#1415 | October 15, 2013

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College has selected Mark Gerbino as its Chief of Police. Gerbino will direct planning, development, scheduling and implementation of the STC police department. He will also coordinate operational plans and developments with local and other law enforcement agencies. Prior to this position Gerbino was Chief of Police for the Americus (Georgia) Police Department.

Gerbino has nearly four decades of experience as a law enforcement professional, including more than 33 years as a law enforcement manager. He is a Georgia POST certified police officer and a Georgia certified police chief.

He has worked as a law enforcement and public safety and security consultant for domestic and international clients. He has worked in tandem with other organizations as a bomb squad commander and certified bomb technician and certified domestic preparedness trainer. He has also taught criminal justice as an adjunct collect instructor for college and high school (dual enrollment) students.

Gerbino has an Associate degree in Criminal Justice from Monroe Community College, a Bachelor degree in Criminal Justice from Keuka College and has completed graduate work in law enforcement leadership/behavioral sciences at the University of Southern California.

STC’s police department provides public safety, security and parking services for all of the College’s campus locations in Savannah, Rincon and Hinesville, Ga.

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Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

#1414 | October 11, 2013

29 candidates are now qualified to be POST-certified officers by state of Georgia

SAVANNAH – Twenty-nine students from the Savannah Technical College Peace Officer Academy celebrated graduating from the program with a completion ceremony today.

The six women and 23 men have completed coursework containing the entire Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Law Enforcement Training Course. Their successful completion of the program qualifies them to be state-certified peace officers.

This is the thirteenth group of students to complete the program since its inception in 2009. To date, the program has graduated more than 165 P.O.S.T.-certified officers. Many candidates are in various stages of the application process with statewide agencies. Two candidates were hired area police departments recently. Savannah Tech’s Peace Officer Academy has a 98% placement rate.

Each cohort selects a fallen officer for whom the graduating class will be named. The cohorts have a tradition of giving the family of the fallen officer a challenge coin dedicated to the officer. A challenge coin is a symbol of an unbreakable bond of dedication and allegiance among military personnel and law enforcement officers. The challenge coin tradition started as a military tradition in World War I and was later adopted by law enforcement.

This cohort elected to honor Sgt. John Joseph “JJ” Brown, of the Savannah Police Department. Sgt. Brown’s watch ended on Tuesday, April 14, 1981, when he was accidentally shot and killed by a fellow officer during a shootout with a suspect who had fired at the officers. The shooting occurred at the intersection of Liberty and West Broad Streets. Sergeant Brown had served with the Savannah Police Department for 21 years. He was survived by his wife and three children.

The Basic Law Enforcement Technical Certificate of Credit provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to become competent law enforcement officers. The 18-week cohort program utilizes classroom instruction pertaining to criminal justice theory and the prevailing principles of modern law enforcement, as well as practical application of pertinent enforcement skills. College coursework contains the entire Georgia Peace Officers Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Law Enforcement Training Course so that successful completion of the program will qualify the student to be a state-certified peace officer.

For more information about the Peace Officer Academy, please contact Larry Stubbs at 912.443.5191 or lstubbs@savannahtech.edu.

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STC Peace Officer Academy Information: Larry Stubbs
912.443.5191 or lstubbs@savannahtech.edu

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu