Valdosta, GA – During the week of June 15-19 Wiregrass Georgia Technical College will be hosting a Virtual Free Application Week. During this time those applying for Fall Semester can apply online and have their application fee waived. Fall Semester classes begin August 18. “There’s never been a better time to apply for college,” shared Angela Hobby, Vice President of Enrollment Management. “We have additional funds to assist those who have lost their jobs during our nation’s pandemic and many of our programs are considered essential to keeping the economy going creating a demand for trained employees. Through the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA), individuals can return to college and pay little if any out of pocket, and gain valuable skills in a career they will love and that’s considered in-demand.”
WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market, and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete. WIOA offers financial support services with items such as tuition, books, uniforms, immunization and other required program costs specific to a chosen program. Programs covered under WIOA are specific to each Georgia region, and can be accessed by visiting www.worksourcegaportal.com searching for Wiregrass under "Training Providers."
Wiregrass has over 70 programs that qualify for the HOPE Career Grant. Many of the essential careers that are in-demand right now like Welding, Practical Nursing, Phlebotomy, Industrial Systems, Precision Manufacturing and Mechatronics qualify for the HOPE Career Grant. Students enrolled in these programs could qualify for additional monies to help pay for college.
Admission requirements to enter Wiregrass have been made a little easier in the wake of the nation’s COVID-19 pandemic. The Technical College System of Georgia has provided all TCSG colleges the leeway to admit students for summer semester using a variety of methods that do not include placement testing (use of Accuplacer) or the submission of ACT or SAT scores, as well as the ability to accept unofficial transcripts.
The suspension of the placement exam, ACCUPLACER, still allows Wiregrass the ability to use other methods already in place to allow an applicant to continue the enrollment process. Wiregrass will evaluate program readiness in a number of different ways to ensure student success.
The suspension of the requirements for official high school or high school equivalency transcripts for admission to Wiregrass allows applicants who wish to begin this summer the ability to continue their admission process. In the interim, students may submit unofficial transcripts. The students will then have the ability to submit official documents to the college without affecting their current enrollment.
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is currently open during normal business hours through virtual methods. The college announced a soft-reopening on June 1. The reopening is by appointment only with the following departments: Admissions, Financial Aid, Library (computer area only), Testing, WIOA, Military and Veteran Services, Registrar, the Advising and Retention Center (ARC), Tutoring. Information on Fall Semester, new programs, the HOPE Career Grant, or Free Application Week, can be found online at www.wiregrass.edu; click on the apply button and follow the directions. Should you have any questions please email admissions@wiregrass.edu and someone will respond.
