New $60K grant expands military truck driving training at Savannah Technical College

HINESVILLE, Ga. – The Liberty County Board of Commissioners and Liberty County Development Authority, working in partnership with Savannah Technical College, have been awarded $60,000 in grant funding through the Defense Community Economic Development Fund to allow expansion of Commercial Truck Driving training for transitioning service members and military spouses. The fund is administered by the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Office of Workforce Development.

“Fort Stewart is a major economic driver in our regional economy. This grant provides new opportunities for transitioning service members to build great careers close to home in Liberty County,” said Chairman of Liberty County Board of Commissioners and member of the Liberty County Development Authority Donald Lovette.

The College offers Commercial Truck Driver’s License (CTDL) training at its campuses in Liberty County and Effingham County. The training may be completed in five weeks. While there is great demand for this training, including from transitioning service members and military spouses, enrollment is limited by the low instructor-to-student ratios required during the driving portions.

Grant funding allows the College to hire additional part-time faculty to supervise student driving, which will increase enrollment by 64 additional students for the academic year beginning Summer Semester 2019. Active duty service members, veterans and their spouses will receive priority enrollment in these additional course offerings.

“As a hub for regional transportation, the opportunities for growth in the logistics employment sector are unlimited in Liberty County,” said Hinesville Mayor and Chairman of the Liberty County Development Authority Allen Brown. “It is a great fit to have transitioning service members move into one of our area’s growing industries.”

The College has the highest military-affiliated enrollment in TCSG. One in four STC students is a veteran, active duty service member or a military dependent/spouse. For the past three years, the College has been ranked the top Best for Vets public technical and career college in the U.S. by Military Times.

“Employers value the strong work ethic of our military graduates, making them great hires,” said STC President Dr. Kathy S. Love. “We take our commitment to providing opportunities for military students very seriously and are delighted to have this grant to expand truck driving training for service members, veterans and their families.”

Other community partners included in this grant application are Central States Trucking Co., Port City Logistics, Quaker Transport Inc., USO Pathfinder Program (Fort Stewart, Ga.), Liberty County Chamber of Commerce, Liberty County Development Authority and STC Foundation.

Commercial Truck Driving is one of Georgia’s high demand jobs that qualify for the HOPE Career Grant, receiving an additional $1,000. The HOPE Grant offers CTDL students $657, reducing their total out-of-pocket expense to $227, which includes tuition/fees/CDL testing. The next five-week day class for Commercial Truck Driving begins May 28 at both the Effingham and Liberty campus locations. New students interested in enrolling in Commercial Truck Driving must be at least 18 years of age (21 years of age for interstate travel). For a full list of admission requirements, please visit:
https://www.savannahtech.edu/programs/commercial-truck-driving or contact the Industrial Technology Academic Advisor at 912.443.5859.

####

#1939 | April 22, 2019
Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

For a full list of admission requirements, please visit:
https://www.savannahtech.edu/programs/commercial-truck-driving or contact the Industrial Technology Academic Advisor at 912.443.5859.

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.