Electrical Utility Technology program begins at Savannah Tech

Prepares technicians to work in power generating and transmission

SAVANNAH – This fall Savannah Technical College will begin enrolling students in a specialized program that prepares skilled technicians to work in the fast-paced world of power generation and transmission. The Electrical Utility Technology (EUT) programs will include an associate degree, diploma and certificate option and will incorporate a range of new technologies.

“All of industry is pressured to move toward leaner organizational structures; couple that with a maturing workforce and the rapid pace of technological change and the result is constant change and adaptation. The energy field is no different, ” says EUT Department Head Stephen Hopkins, a thirty-year veteran in the electric utility and telecommunications industries. “This program will prepare students to work in areas where the demand for new ideas to provide energy is great.”

The College will partner with area companies, including Georgia Power and the area cooperatives to bring workers skilled in smart grid technology that will affect every aspect of the industry from generation at power plants, through transmission, substations and distribution across the region.

“This is an emerging field,” says Hopkins.”People who learn these skills will be able to build and sustain successful careers in the industry.”

Stephen Hopkins has wind ranging industry experience in engineering and project management as well as in executive and leadership positions with AT&T, Georgia Power, Nebraska Public Power District and Clarksville Department of Electricity. Among other things, he led a project in Clarksville, Tennessee that introduced new electronic meter reading and smart grid services along with digital television, internet and IP telephony to a Top 100 Public Utility. He holds a BSIE with emphasis on Information and control Systems Design from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Valdosta State University.

A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, Savannah Technical College (Savannah Tech) is the premier provider of career-ready technical education in Coastal Georgia, offering a comprehensive range of nearly 150 market-driven programs, preparing students for high-demand careers including Aviation Technology, Cybersecurity, Health Sciences, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Automation & Robotics, Information Technology, Culinary Arts, Public Services and more. With campuses in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties, Savannah Tech serves more than 13,000 credit and non-credit students with a variety of pathways to success, including dual enrollment programs for high school students and specialized support services for military veterans and their families. Beyond academics, Savannah Tech is an economic and community development partner, collaborating with industry leaders to provide customized training programs, assessment services, and continuing education opportunities. For more information, visit www.savannahtech.edu.

Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Savannah Technical College complies with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). The TCSG State Board prohibits discrimination on the basis of an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status (“protected status”). No individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under, any TCSG program or activity because of the individual’s protected status; nor shall any individual be given preferential treatment because of the individual’s protected status, except the preferential treatment may be given on the basis of veteran status when appropriate under federal or state law.