South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above standing (l to r) with Wiregrass Technical College Executive Director for Academic Affairs Niki Ogletree, Executive Director for Fundraising Crissy Staley, SGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs David Kuipers, and SGTC Aviation Maintenance Technology Instructor Charles Christmas. Shown seated (l to r) are SGTC Aviation Maintenance Instructor David Grant, Wiregrass Technical College Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs April McDuffie, Wiregrass Associate Vice President for Workforce Development Brandy Wilkes, and Wiregrass Interim President DeAnnia Clements.
South Georgia Technical College
By Su Ann Bird
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford and members of the SGTC Aviation Maintenance Technology program hosted a delegation from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College recently in the Griffin Bell Aerospace Technology Center on its Americus campus.
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Interim President DeAnnia Clements along with Wiregrass Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs April McDuffie, Associate Vice President for Workforce Development Brandy Wilkes, Executive Director for Academic Affairs Niki Ogletree, and Executive Director for Fundraising Crissy Staley visited the South Georgia Technical College Aviation Maintenance program and toured the campus facilities. Wiregrass is investigating the feasibility of initiating an Aviation Maintenance Technology program on its Coffee County campus.
Dr. Watford welcomed Wiregrass Interim President DeAnnia Clements and her group to the campus and introduced them to SGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs David Kuipers and Aviation Maintenance Technology instructors David Grant and Charles Christmas. The group discussed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for students to earn an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license as well as the equipment, staffing and support needs for a new Aviation Maintenance training program.
South Georgia Technical College has the longest continuous Aviation Maintenance training facility in the nation and has been training individuals for careers in aviation maintenance since 1917 when it was an Army Aviation Training School. Aviation Maintenance was also one of the original six educational programs offered by South Georgia Tech when it opened in 1948.
