Seated: Shane Palmer, Machinist at Steeda and Wiregrass Precision Machine Tool student; Standing: Stan Crance, Project Manager/Existing Industry Coordinator with Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority; Dr. Tina K. Anderson, President of Wiregrass; Scott Boda, Director of Manufacturing at Steeda; Darron Lanier, Wiregrass Precision Machine and Manufacturing Technology Instructor, and Michael Williams, Wiregrass Dean of Industrial and Technical programs.
Valdosta, GA – Wiregrass Precision Machine and Manufacturing student Shane Palmer signed an apprenticeship agreement with Steeda of Valdosta. While Palmer is working toward his diploma in Precision Machining and Manufacturing, he is working as a Machinist at Steeda. He shared how excited he is and sees this as a great opportunity to not only attend college, but also enter the workforce in his chosen career field prior to graduating. On hand to watch Palmer sign was Scott Boda, Director of Manufacturing at Steeda; Stan Crance, Project Manager/Existing Industry Coordinator with Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority; Dr. Tina K. Anderson, President of Wiregrass; Darron Lanier, Machine Tool Technology Instructor; and Michael Williams, Dean of Industrial and Technical programs.
The Apprenticeship program through Wiregrass is a method of training individuals in a trade using a combination of on-the-job skills development and classroom/lab related instruction. Wiregrass currently has nine programs that are approved for the apprenticeship program: Accounting, Automotive Technology, CNC Specialist, Computer Information Systems, Diesel Truck Maintenance, Industrial Systems Technology, Precision Machining and Manufacturing, Telecommunications, and Welding and Joining Technology. Other area businesses Wiregrass currently has apprenticeship agreements with are: American Drill Bushing Hoist Rings, Ace Electric, TransPower, Cass Burch Dealership, Coyote Manufacturing, Verlyn, and Ace Technologies.
If your business would like to learn more about the apprenticeship program, please contact Bill Tillman, Director of Economic Development and Cook Campus. He can be reached at bill.tillman@wiregrass.edu or by calling 229-549-7830. Wiregrass will soon begin accepting new students for Fall Semester classes. Full-term classes begin August 14. There are 77 majors that qualify for the HOPE Career Grant, and several of those programs are on the approved Apprenticeship list. Eligible students could have their college tuition and fees completely covered by the HOPE Grant and the HOPE Career Grant! Visit www.wiregrass.edu to learn more about the programs Wiregrass offers.
