SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College Industrial Systems students will compete in an underwater robotics competition in Spring 2022 thanks to funding from a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. The College is one of two community and technical colleges in the U.S. selected to participate in the first cohort that will compete in a brand-new level for the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Competition.

The MATE ROV Competition uses underwater robots to inspire, engage, and challenge students from elementary school through college in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Through preparing for the competition, students learn and creatively apply STEM to solve real-world problems and strengthen their critical thinking, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

In the next three years, up to 15 colleges will be included in the grant-funded project. MATE secured the NSF funding to expand the number of two-year institutions of higher education participating in its regional or global events. Currently, two-year colleges are underrepresented in the competition. For Savannah Technical College, the grant will cover costs for professional development of STC Industrial Systems faculty and provide advanced-level training kits for student team development.

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is the local host of the Gray’s Reef Southeast Regional MATE ROV Competition, held each spring in Savannah in partnership with MATE and NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

“This grant gives Savannah Technical College students the opportunity to master high-end ‘blue tech’ skills,” said MATE Regional Competition Network Liaison and Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Director Jody Patterson. “We look forward to working with the College to provide skills training as it builds its student team. I’m excited to see what they can do!”

The College’s Industrial Systems program will introduce marine trades with mechatronics training, while developing innovative tools for ocean research. Student teams will demonstrate the underwater ROVs that they built during the regional competition to qualify for the MATE ROV World Championships.

STC’s Industrial Systems training equips students with problem-solving skills they need to diagnose complicated production line problems. Students master predictive maintenance by identifying problems before they happen to eliminate downtime. They learn Industry 4.0/Smart Factory, fluid power, programmable logic controls (PLCs), electricity, and mechatronics. Industrial Systems is one of Georgia’s high demand jobs that qualify for the HOPE Career Grant. For more information visit: www.savannahtech.edu/IndustrialSystems

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#2208 | August 27, 2021

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

 

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Nine students from the Savannah Technical College Peace Officer Academy celebrated graduating from the program with a completion ceremony on August 20, 2021. Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman presented the group challenge.

The four men and five women 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 35th group of students to complete the program since its inception in 2009. To date, the program has graduated more than 400 P.O.S.T.-certified officers. Many candidates are in various stages of the application process with statewide agencies. Seven of the nine candidates have been hired by area police departments including Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Garden City Police Department, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and Richmond Hill Police Department. The other two have pending employment with area agencies. STC’s Peace Officer Academy has a 97% 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 honors APO Charles Van Vleck of Georgia Ports Authority Police Department, who passed away on January 10, 2021.  APO Van Vleck had served with the GPA for 18 years and had previously served with the US Coast Guard for 20 years.  He was survived by his wife, four children, grandchildren, siblings, family and friends.

The Basic POST Certification Technical Certificate of Credit provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to become competent law enforcement officers. The 11-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 visit www.savannahtech.edu/PeaceOfficerAcademy or contact the office at 912.443.5191 or njones@savannahtech.edu.

The next class begins in September 2021.

#2207 | August 20, 2021
Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College recently selected James Halford as its department head for Electrical Construction and Industrial Systems. This expansion of his role was due to restructuring the two departments to leadership of one department head. He has department head for STC’s Electrical Construction department for the past six years.

In 2019, Halford was selected as the College’s Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year. He is well-versed in all aspects of electrical and industrial systems and is a proud TCSG graduate. He holds a diploma in Industrial Electrical Technology and four additional credentials from South Georgia Technical College (Residential Wiring Technician, Commercial Wiring Technician, Supervisory Management Specialist and Certified Forklift Operator). He has also earned an Industrial Systems Technology Associate Degree and four additional certifications from Savannah Technical College (Programmable Control Technician, Industrial Maintenance Assistant and Industrial Instrument Assistant). Additionally, he has had success in his field at all levels, working as a maintenance helper for a large manufacturer, as a journeyman electrician, master electrician and a field supervisor.

Halford has led STC’s college-wide Skills USA efforts for three years. Through his leadership, the College has proudly celebrated 36 state award winners, and three national award winners. He was instrumental in our college receiving a $233,000 grant from Georgia Environmental Finance Authority that provided scholarships for students in photovoltaic systems. He also led the installation of a solar array on one of STC’s campus buildings.

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# 2206 | August 19, 2021
Industrial Technology Academic Advisor: Secene Dorsey
ssdorsey@savannahtech.edu

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