Seated is Wiregrass student and employee at Premium Waters, Cameron Jones. Standing is Bill Tillman Bill Tillman Wiregrass Director of Economic Development and Cook Campus; Mike Lord Premium Waters Plant Manager; Phillip Taylor, Wiregrass Industrial Systems Technology Instructor, Dr. Tina K. Anderson, Wiregrass President; and Michael Williams, Wiregrass Dean of Industrial and Technical programs

Douglas, GA — Students from the Wiregrass Precision Machine and Manufacturing and Industrial Systems Technology programs signed an apprenticeship agreement with Verylyn Enterprises and Premium Waters in Douglas. The students who participated in the signing ceremony were: Christopher Marschal, Jeremy Paulk, Steven Bailey, Luke White, Rusty Lamar, and Cameron Jones.

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, Premium Waters, and Ace Technologies.

The apprenticeship program has proven to benefit business and industry in recruiting, training, and retaining highly skilled workers. Partnering with the college in hiring students through the apprenticeship program has also shown a reduction in turnover costs, higher productivity, and a more diverse workforce.

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 is 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.

Seated Jeremy Paulk, Christopher Marschal, Steven Bailey, Luke White and Rusty Lamar. Machinists at Verlyn and Wiregrass Precision Machine Tool students; Standing Doug Jackson, President of Verlyn Enterprises; Michael Williams, Wiregrass Dean of Industrial and Technical programs; Darron Lanier, Wiregrass Precision Machine and Manufacturing Technology Instructor; Dr. Tina K. Anderson, President of Wiregrass; and Bill Tillman Wiregrass Director of Economic Development and Cook Campus.