GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION

TECHNICAL COLLEGES
Albany Technical College Albany, Georgia Altamaha Technical College Jesup, Georgia Appalachian Technical College Jasper, Georgia Athens Technical College Athens, Georgia Atlanta Technical College Atlanta, Georgia Augusta Technical College Augusta, Georgia Central Georgia Technical College Macon, Georgia Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, Georgia Columbus Technical College Columbus, Georgia Coosa Valley Technical College Rome, Georgia DeKalb Technical College Clarkston, Georgia East Central Technical College Fitzgerald, Georgia Flint River Technical College Thomaston, Georgia Georgia Aviation Technical College Eastman, Georgia Griffin Technical College Griffin, Georgia Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, Georgia Heart of Georgia Technical College Dublin, Georgia Lanier Technical College Oakwood, Georgia Middle Georgia Technical College Warner Robins, Georgia Moultrie Technical College Moultrie, Georgia

North Georgia Technical College Clarkesville, Georgia North Metro Technical College Acworth, Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rock Spring, Georgia Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro, Georgia Okefenokee Technical College Waycross, Georgia Sandersville Technical College Sandersville, Georgia Savannah Technical College Savannah, Georgia South Georgia Technical College Americus, Georgia Southeastern Technical College Vidalia, Georgia Southwest Georgia Technical College Thomasville, Georgia Swainsboro Technical College Swainsboro, Georgia Valdosta Technical College Valdosta, Georgia West Central Technical College Waco, Georgia West Georgia Technical College LaGrange, Georgia
TECHNICAL DIVISIONS
Bainbridge College Bainbridge, Georgia Clayton College and State University Morrow, Georgia Coastal Georgia Community College Brunswick, Georgia Dalton State College Dalton, Georgia Web-based courses of Georgia's technical colleges are accessed through the Georgia Virtual Technical College (GVTC), http://www.gvtc.org.

summer 2004
Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education
Vision Accomplished A 20-YEAR HEAD START INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
The technology of creative arts Helping military families 10th anniversary of
Manufacturing Appreciation Week

FROM THE COMMISSIONER
In our contemporary society, it seems as though nothing has escaped the march of technology. The creative arts are no exception. Just in the past 20 years, for example, the fields of entertainment technology, photography and printing have been transformed by the development of new digital tools. Anybody who works in those areas has seen the ongoing need to change with the rapid evolution of new equipment and software. There is an obvious need for ongoing, specialized training if anyone wishes to learn or update the required skills. It's the same story in 3-D animation, Web site design, even opticianry, where skilled specialists are required to help select, fit and produce eyeglasses. Just having creativity isn't enough -- there is also the need for technical training on sophisticated equipment. Our colleges are providing that training. Camera operators, photo technicians, opticians, metalworkers -- our colleges have developed programs that help students combine their creative instincts with technical know-how. The market has a huge demand for these skills, and our certificate, degree and diploma programs allow students opportunities to master the equipment quickly and enter the job market thanks to programs that focus on real-world, hands-on training. The marketplace has a demand for these skilled employees, and Georgia's Technical College System has responded to fill that need. In this issue of Results, we review a few of the innovative, interesting new opportunities available at our colleges where technology and creativity come together.
In 1984, Gov. Joe Frank Harris created the State Board of Postsecondary Vocational Education. That executive order led directly to the creation of the Department of Technical and Adult Education and the system of technical colleges, adult literacy and economic development programs that today are playing such a critical role in Georgia's workforce development.
During those ensuing years, I have had the privilege to serve as the commissioner of the DTAE, working with business, industry, community leaders, educational professionals and students around the state. Recently, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of what we know today as the DTAE.
Also, I recently announced my retirement from my position as commissioner and will be leaving at the end of June, so this will be the last issue of Results magazine for which I will write the commissioner's introduction. Through this magazine, we have explored the depth and breadth of our system, and portrayed the programs that are designed to provide Georgians with real skills for real jobs.
In coming years, I look forward to sharing your accomplishments and achievements, both personally and through the pages of future issues of Results. I know I will be proud of what I see.
Kenneth H. Breeden Commissioner

State Board of Technical and Adult Education

Harold Reynolds Chairman
Warren "Rhubarb" Jones Vice-Chairman Helen W. Mathis
Executive Secretary James (Jimmy) L. Allgood Jr.
George L. (Roy) Bowen III Don L. Chapman
Ben I. Copeland Sr. Michael C. Daniel Sharon H. Douglas

Mary Paige Flanders Cedric J. Johnson
Debra M. Stillo Lyons Dr. Alma G. Noble
Tyre Louis Rakestraw Jr. Dr. Sandra B. Reed Edgar L. Rhodes Allen C. Rice
Steven (Steve) Charles Rieck Jimmy Tallent
Ben J. Tarbutton Jr.

Administration
Kenneth H. Breeden Commissioner
Chuck Beall Assistant Commissioner, Technical Education
Jean DeVard-Kemp Assistant Commissioner, Adult Literacy Programs
Debbie Dlugolenski Assistant Commissioner, Information Technology,
Planning and Development
Laura Gammage Assistant Commissioner, Administrative Services
Jackie Rohosky Assistant Commissioner, Economic Development Programs

RESULTS
Summer 2004, Volume 7, No. 2 ISSN 1098-0555

Results is published by the Office of Economic Development Programs at the Department of Technical and Adult Education. Articles may be reprinted with permission.

Director of Communications Rodger Brown
Contributing Writers Lauren Keating, Laura Kenney, Greg Land
Graphic Design Heathere Fraser, Missy Donaldson
Photography David Greear, Scott Martin
Send requests for additional information or comments to the Editor, Results, 1800 Century Place, Suite 300,
Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, Atlanta, GA 30345-4304 (404) 679-2915
E-mail: Results@georgiaquickstart.org

View Results online at http://www.dtae.org DTAE is an equal opportunity employer.

CTable of ONTENTS Summer 2004
4 Winning Combination
GOAL and Rick Perkins Award honor the best in technical education
5 Flying High
EAGLE winners honored for achievements in literacy
6 Georgia's Best
10th annual Manufacturing Appreciation Week
8 Disaster Drill
Griffin Technical College stages a hyper-realistic simulation
11 Image Is Everything
Where technical training meets creative instinct
On the Air Entertainment Technology programs train
media professionals
To Infinity and Beyond 3-D animators in demand
by industry and Hollywood
Laying Out the Future Visual Communications
programs train designers to see and do
Good Shot Technical college photography programs are
ready for their closeup
Fire and Iron Art and welding come together in
contemporary metalwork
Can You See Me Now? Even opticians need to
be creative
24 A Fighting Chance
Providing opportunity for military personnel and their families
26 Vision Accomplished
Commemorating 20 years of DTAE success
29 President's Perspective
Built to Last By Dr. Diane Harper, President, East Central Technical College

6 8 14 24

Winning Combination

The GOAL and Rick Perkins Award honor the best in technical education

GOAL winner Candice Walker of Okefenokee Tech enjoys her prize, a 2004 fully loaded Nissan Sentra donated by Rob Doll Nissan.

E ach year, Georgia's Technical College System honors its outstanding students through the GOAL award, and its outstanding

teachers through the Rick Perkins Award. This year's state GOAL

winner is Candice Walker of Okefenokee Technical College, who was

awarded a 2004 Nissan Sentra. The 2004 Rick Perkins Award winner

is Beverly Padgett, a Certified Customer Service Specialist instructor

from Coosa Valley Technical College. Padgett was awarded $1000

cash and a special crystal award.

"What better way to promote education and lifelong learning

than to recognize excellence in education?" asked Dr. Ruth Nichols,

president of North Georgia Technical College and chair of the

Presidents' STAR Committee, which oversees the GOAL and Rick

Perkins Award programs. "The state of Georgia is blessed to have the

GOAL and Rick Perkins programs in place to inspire and motivate

students and teachers."

"I am extremely honored to be chosen as the 2004 state GOAL

winner," said Walker. "I look forward to representing Okefenokee

Tech as an ambassador for technical

education throughout the year.

Technical education has so much to

offer, and now I have the prospect of

sharing its benefits in a unique way."

"I am so excited and honored to

be the 2004 state of Georgia Rick

Perkins Award winner," commented

Padgett. "I see every day the impact a

technical college education has on

both the students and business and

industry in the state."

"The GOAL and Rick Perkins

winners are a testimony to the quality

of our students and the dedication

they have shown to technical educa-

tion," said Dr. Kenneth Breeden,

commissioner of the DTAE. "They

represent the best talent in our state,

Above: Rick Perkins Award winner Beverly Padgett, Coosa Valley Tech instructor, with her crystal award. Left: DTAE Commissioner Dr. Kenneth Breeden (center) with DTAE State Board Chairman Harold Reynolds (right) and DTAE Project Manager Beth Neal.

and the great promise that lies ahead in our state's future."
"GOAL winners are our ambassadors," said Chuck Beall, assistant commissioner for Technical Education. "They symbolize what technical education can achieve and the caliber of individuals who are choosing Georgia's technical colleges."

4 Department of Technical and Adult Education

EAGLE winners honored for achievements in literacy

By Laura Kenney

T ears and laugher were the hallmarks of the 2004 annual EAGLE awards banquet held on January 22 at Atlanta's Sheraton Buckhead Hotel, where adult literacy professionals from around the state gathered to celebrate Exceptional Adult Georgians in Literacy Education.
EAGLE is Georgia's premier adult literacy student recognition program, designed to spotlight educational opportunities available in local communities. The event involves several hundred students advancing through local to state-level competition. At the annual EAGLE banquet, two EAGLEs are named the statewide Student Literacy Ambassador and GED Graduate Literacy Ambassador.
"This is our 11th anniversary," explained Kay Lynn, an adult literacy director who welcomed attendees to the 2004 awards banquet. "It marks a time of renewal and uplift."
Among those celebrated for their uplifting achievements were 2004 Student Literacy Ambassador Simone Younge and 2004 GED Graduate Literacy Ambassador Keith Jones. "We commend you for your courage and dedication," DTAE State Board Chairman Harold Reynolds told Younge and Jones, who were each awarded $2,004 and a stunning crystal award in the shape of an eagle.
Younge was "thrilled" to be named an EAGLE winner. "I will always be an advocate of the Adult Literacy program," said Younge, who is pursuing an early childhood education degree. "With this
program, adults get a second chance to pursue their dreams."
Left: Dr. Kenneth Breeden with the eagle statue presented to him at
his final EAGLE awards program as DTAE commissioner. Above: DTAE Assistant Commissioner of Adult Literacy programs Dr. Jean DeVard-Kemp (center) with EAGLE winners Keith Jones and Simone Younge.

Jones made the celebration

of his second chance a family

affair, becoming the second in

his family to be named GED

Graduate Literacy Ambassador

and earning the same accolade

won by his brother, Cortez Scott,

last year. At the banquet, Jones

explained how he overcame a

world of hurt with help from a

Georgia Adult Literacy program. "I started hanging out with
the local crew, making money any way I could," the Syracuse

"Dr. Breeden and Dr. Jean DeVard-Kemp, the state of Georgia

native said about his struggles

owes you a debt of

after his sister was murdered. A move to Georgia put him

gratitude."

on the path to success. Now

Harold Reynolds,

enrolled in Georgia Military

DTAE State

College, Jones maintains a 3.5

Board Chairman

GPA and plans to transfer to a

four-year school and major in

business administration.

Capping off the evening were stirring tributes, including a

video celebrating Dr. Kenneth Breeden's work with the program

at his final EAGLE banquet as DTAE commissioner. Calling

Dr. Breeden "Georgia's number-one EAGLE always," Dr. Jean

DeVard-Kemp, DTAE assistant commissioner, Adult Literacy

programs, presented him with a large eagle sculpture.

"What you have done has changed the lives of your families

for generations to come," Dr. Breeden told the GED graduates in

his farewell EAGLE speech as DTAE commissioner. "There's

nothing I'm more proud of than the fact that my name is on a

quarter of a million GED diplomas in Georgia."

RESULTS Summer 2004 5

Gov. Sonny Perdue addresses the crowd during his keynote speech at the 10th annual Manufacturing Appreciation Week awards ceremony.

G MAW Sponsors eorgia's Best

Manufacturers of the Year honored at 10th annual luncheon

On April 15th, Governor Sonny Perdue awarded "the manufacturing Oscar for Georgia's best in class" at the 10th anniversary celebration of Manufacturing Appreciation Week. More than 1400 community and business leaders gathered at the Cobb Galleria for the Governor's Awards Luncheon, which was sponsored by the DTAE and the Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism.
"I think it's a perfect time to honor your achievements," Gov. Perdue told the 114 Manufacturer of the Year nominees in his keynote speech at the awards ceremony. "Your dedication to quality, innovation and productivity continue to be at the heart of Georgia's economy."
This year's winners were Woodbury Box Co. Inc. in Thomaston

in the small manufacturer category; Heatcraft Refrigeration Products in Tifton in the medium manufacturer category; and the NACOM Corp. in Griffin in the large manufacturer category.
Woodbury Box CEO Susan Rudder Hall praised Quick Start's customized training for assisting the company, which relocated to Thomaston from Woodbury, Ga., in 1994. "I can't say enough about Quick Start," said Hall, who oversees 47 associates with a payroll of more than $1.5 million. "Your quick response and technical help were excellent."
Steve Dyer, director of operations for Heatcraft's Tifton facility, utilized the help of state agencies to maintain Heatcraft's competitive edge. "It's only through the continued cooperation of local, state and federal agencies," noted Dyer, "that U.S. manufacturing

Small Manufacturer Category
Gov. Sonny Perdue presents Woodbury Box Co. Inc. executives with the Manufacturer of the Year award in the small manufacturing category. Standing with Gov. Perdue, from left, are Woodbury Box CEO Susan Rudder Hall; Woodbury Box Chief Marketing and Financial Officer Kim Sidey; and Woodbury Box President Dan Fuller.

Medium Manufacturer Category
Gov. Sonny Perdue presents Heatcraft Refrigeration Products executives with the Manufacturer of the Year award in the medium manufacturing category. Standing with Gov. Perdue, from left, are Heatcraft Director of Tifton Operations Steve Dyer; Heatcraft Human Resources Manager Jon Krispen; and Heatcraft VP of OperationsAmericas Howard Schmidt.

6 Department of Technical and Adult Education

will regain its competitive edge and maintain that

"We are

edge." Heatcraft's 29-year-old Tifton facility draws 250 full-time employees from eight counties in South Central Georgia and produced more than $490 million in product in 2003.
NACOM VP and General Manager John

creating our future."
Sonny Perdue,

Gov. Sonny Perdue stands (l-r) with Jenny Park, middle school poster design contest winner; Tyler Van Dusen, elementary school placemat design contest winner; and Cristian Cuautle, high school T-shirt design contest winner.

Olson extolled education as the key to success.

Governor

"NACOM has encouraged our associates to invest

their time into education," said Olson. "With our associates' new- and their products in the three design categories of placemat,

found skills, NACOM's been able to achieve new records in quality poster and T-shirt.

and productivity and customer delight." There are more than 800

"It's exciting to meet the Governor," said elementary school

associates at NACOM's nine-year-old Griffin plant, which had

placemat design contest winner Tyler Van Dusen, who was awarded

annual revenues of $161 million last year.

a $500 scholarship at the luncheon along with middle school

In addition to the manufacturing winners, nine students from poster design contest winner Jenny Park and high school T-shirt

across the state won scholarships in the student design contest, design contest winner Cristian Cuautle. Second place winners

which is intended to increase awareness of the importance of

An-Thien Huu Nguyen, Kelvin Jordan Jr. and Brittney Denton won

manufacturing among Georgia's schoolchildren. More than 3,000 $300 scholarships. Third place winners Brittany Ricks, Randy Leon

students submitted design entries featuring Georgia manufacturers Baisden and Vaneka Nesby were awarded $100 scholarships.

Large Manufacturer Category
Gov. Sonny Perdue presents NACOM Corp. executives with the Manufacturer of the Year award in the large manufacturing category. Standing with Gov. Perdue, from left, are NACOM VP and General Manager John Olson; NACOM/Yazaki North America Chairman Satoshi Negishi; and NACOM 2003 Associate of the Year Mary Goggins.

DTAE Commissioner Dr. Kenneth Breeden thanks manufacturers for their contributions to Georgia in his closing remarks at the Manufacturing Appreciation Week awards ceremony.
RESULTS Summer 2004 7

4.

Photography by Vicki Hyatt
1.

EMT students at Griffin Technical College learn how to handle an emergency in a
hyper-realistic simulation
Someone was manufacturing illegal drugs.
And something went terribly wrong. As SWAT Team members raided the lab, there was an explosion. Bodies were hurled to the ground. Smoke filled the room. Shots were fired. And when the lights came on and the smoke cleared, EMT students from Griffin Technical College rushed to the aid of the victims. This time, everybody was lucky. It was only a drill. But what a drill.
Each year, Griffin Tech stages a similar drill for the EMT class. Sometimes, the drill only consists of somebody with difficulty breathing. Sometimes, however, as with this drill in March, the re-creation plunges students into catastrophic

2. 3.
8 Department of Technical and Adult Education

circumstances that seem like a nightmare straight out of a prime-time medical drama.
"This kind of drill helps sharpen the students' skills," says Major Paul Beamon, instructor and lead disaster coordinator, who worked closely with the Spalding County Emergency Medical Service (EMS), Spalding Regional Medical Center, the Emory Flight team and the Griffin Fire and Police Departments to stage the event. "After nine months of training, the students are able to use their critical thinking skills and apply all they have learned."
This year's drill included elaborate makeup to simulate life-threatening injuries, a smoke machine and explosive charges to re-create the danger and confusion the students will face in the line of duty.
Once the drill began, students were challenged with assessing the injuries and prioritizing treatment. After a quick
Continued next page
1. Griffin Tech EMT students prepare for the impending disaster drill by stocking needed emergency supplies. 2. EMT students arrive at the disaster site ready to assist volunteers posing as wounded disaster victims. 3. and 4. EMT students assemble triage units and assess the injuries of the wounded patients. 5. and 6. EMT students load a wounded patient into a waiting ambulance to be transported to Spalding Regional Medical Center. 7. EMT students stabilize a patient who will be airlifted to the medical center by an Emory Flight helicopter.

5.
6. 7.
RESULTS Summer 2004 9

Continued from previous page

assessment, it was determined that one patient was dead on

the scene. The other six were injured to varying degrees.

After checking vital signs, starting artificial breathing and

stabilizing the patients, the students were then required to

decide if and how their victims needed to be transported for

further medical care. The most critically injured patient was

airlifted by an Emory Flight helicopter to Spalding Regional

Medical Center. The other five were taken by ambulance.

The students were required to radio the hospital with the

patients' vital statistics and condition before arrival. Once at

8.

the hospital, the students had to transfer their patients to the

doctors and nurses and explain what they found and what

they had done for the patients.

Once the victims were safely at the local hospital, the

students returned to Griffin Tech for a debriefing and evalua-

tion of their actions. After completing Patient Care Reviews

(PCRs), the future EMTs began to relive the evening.

Overwhelmed, the students began to realize the tremendous

responsibility that comes with being a first responder in a crisis.

"The students love the drills," Lead Instructor Matt

Jackson said. "Being able to use their skills and training in

such a realistic situation gives them a taste of the real world

and a great sense of satisfaction by knowing that when the

time comes, they'll be ready!"

8. EMT students transfer their patients into the care of Spalding

Regional Medical Center professionals. 9. A volunteer enjoys a

quick recovery after being treated for her wounds. 10. EMT stu-

9.

dents, volunteers and EMS professionals gather together after an intense day of disaster drill training in Griffin.

10.

10 Department of Technical and Adult Education

Image Is Everything Stories by Lauren Keating Photography by Scott Martin
Technology and creativity have become closely linked in today's world. Video production, metalwork, even the selection and fitting of eyeglasses require both a combination of technical skill training and a sense of design. And Georgia's technical colleges have developed a wide range of programs to deliver state-of-the-art skills training in creative arts technologies.
In the following pages, we review a few of these innovative programs that are increasingly in demand by our 21st century economy.
RESULTS Summer 2004 11

On the set of Chattahoochee Tech's "Courtside with Tony Ingle."

On the Air Entertainment Technology programs train media professionals

IT'S FIVE SECONDS to airtime.
Chattahoochee Technical College student Jimmy Pickwick is issuing rapid-fire orders into his headset.
"We're opening with play of the game and highlights. Ready to roll in three... two... one. Go to camera one... Go to camera two. OK, fade
up the audio... " Pickwick is directing
"Courtside with Tony Ingle," a weekly TV show on the Kennesaw State University (KSU) men's basketball team.
Each week, Kennesaw State University's Coach Ingle sits in the production studio for a post-game interview.
Chattahoochee Tech students also travel to KSU games and tape footage for the highlight reel.
The results are impressive: "Courtside with Tony Ingle" has all the high-speed action of
an ESPN show.
Film strip at left: Stills from Chattahoochee Tech's awardwinning documentary, "Red, White and Bluegrass."

Above: Dr. Daryl Gilley, president of West Georgia Tech, interviews Charlene Donaldson, dean of Health Sciences, on his school's program, "Technically Speaking."
"We teach students to use the medium to tell the story," says Chattahoochee Tech Entertainment Technology program Director Ian Feinberg, who won Emmys during his 20-year tenure at WXIA-TV. "Everything they do is real-world."
666
In today's media environment, we're surrounded by images, and there's a fast-growing demand for skills in video and TV production.
Chattahoochee Tech and West Georgia Technical College responded by introducing Entertainment Technology programs that train students in the art of camerawork, editing, audio, lighting and scripting.
Chattahoochee Tech debuted its Entertainment Technology program in 2001, and the awards piled up right away. That year, students produced "Red, White and Bluegrass," a documentary on bluegrass music in North Georgia. It won three national awards from the Broadcast Education Association, and was nominated for a Southeastern Emmy.
"The program has garnered nearly a dozen national awards in three years and is in many ways setting a national standard," says Chattahoochee Tech President Dr. Harlon Crimm, who began talks with the Georgia Film Commission about industry training needs in 1992.

12 Department of Technical and Adult Education

Metro Atlanta is a good market for people with video skills, being home to such businesses as CNN, Turner Broadcasting, Turner Movie Classics, Cox Broadcasting, The Weather Channel and corporate production studios at Coca-Cola, IBM, Home Depot and UPS.
And Chattahoochee Tech graduates are in demand. Just ask Abigail Scott, a 2002 graduate. One day, Scott was at a public library, and she struck up a conversation with a man who turned out to be the art director at Cartoon Network.
"When I told him what programs I had learned up at Chattahoochee Tech, he was just blown away. He wanted me to come down for an internship right away. Three months later, I had a job!"
666
It's 30 minutes until showtime, and West Georgia Tech students are loading video cameras, locating cables, testing sound equipment. Suddenly, they realize one tripod is missing a small but crucial part. Student Mike Merideth does a fast improvisation: He whips out some duct tape and lassos a video camera to the tripod.
"You learn to adapt," says West Georgia Tech Instructor Kelly Finley.
Film strip at left: Scenes from West Georgia Tech's WGTC Studios and programming.

West Georgia Tech's Entertainment Technology students are

taping the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra's performance of "Peter

and the Wolf," which kicks off the Azalea Storytelling Festival.

"We'll edit this into a 40-minute show," explains Finley.

"Then, the symphony will have it for advertising, brochures and

fund-raising."

West Georgia Tech introduced its program in Fall 2003, and

it's attracting a wide range of students. Judy Merrill, for example,

runs a local Dairy Queen with her husband and plans to use her

new skills to create training videos for her business, as well as pre-

serve family memories.

"I have a new grandson -- and my student project is a video

of his first year."

Another important part of the program at West Georgia Tech is WGTC Studios, a stateof-the-art facility run by

"tWtooetuetsleel attchhheessmttuoedrdye.in"utms

David Arnold, director of Video Production Services. The studio produces "Technically

ChattaTehcohoncohleoegyTepcrhogEnrIaatenmrtFaDeiiinnrembceterongrt,

Speaking," a weekly TV show

hosted by West Georgia Tech President Dr. Daryl Gilley and

featuring interviews with faculty members. Students also produce

videos for outside clients.

"The Video Production Services Department and the

Entertainment Technology program are the first components in

what we see as a new and exciting educational opportunity," says

Dr. Gilley.

RESULTS Summer 2004 13

Top photo: Central Georgia Tech graduate Lisa Bird (seated) uses her technical training to make learning come alive by animating a figure using technology and help from Central
Georgia Tech Computer Animation and Multimedia program Chair Brian McDaniel
(left) and Central Georgia Tech Drafting Department Chairman Jeff Cope. Middle photo: Bird positions the figure she will animate while McDaniel looks on. Bottom photo: Valdosta Tech Drafting program Coordinator Mike Kirkland (right) discusses the animated art of 3-D architecture with
Valdosta Tech student Bryan Garrett.

To Infinity and Beyond
3-D animators in demand by industry and Hollywood

THE SMASH SUCCESS of animated films like Finding
Nemo and Toy Story shows that 3-D animation is a hot field, and Georgia's technical colleges are on the cutting edge of this trend. This year, Central Georgia Technical College added a 3-D
Valdosta Tech student Allen Wadsworth is learning how to combine creativity with technical expertise while studying 3-D animation.

Animation diploma program and Valdosta Technical College debuted a 3-D Animation certificate program.
There are two career paths for 3-D animation, says Brian McDaniel, chair of Central Georgia Tech's Computer Animation and Multimedia program. First, graduates can build 3-D animation for video production. "They can create elements to be used in a commercial, or even make their own little Star Wars movie."
The second application: Architecture firms need draftsmen to create 3-D animated "tours" of potential buildings, so clients can visualize the plans.
Lisa Bird got her certificate in 3-D Animation from Central Georgia Tech in 2002. About the same time, she
became a writer/producer in the marketing department at a TV station in Macon. Her certificate from Central Georgia Tech was a great asset, she says. "It's not a talent everyone has." Central Georgia Tech's program boasts some futuristic hardware. The Roland LPX-250 3D Scanner and a Dimension 3D printer allow students to scan a 3-D item, tinker with the dimensions and "print" the mold. "You can take a little toy, scan it, manipulate it -- say, make the head bigger -- then send it to the printer to make another toy," McDaniel explains.

14 Department of Technical and Adult Education

Sounds like Disney's Pixar Studios. "That's it! It's exciting!" McDaniel says.
"This training will create a pool of talent to attract a whole new type of industry to our state, and more specifically, to central Georgia," says Central Georgia Tech President Dr. Mel Palmer.
Valdosta Tech's 3-D Animation Specialist certificate program incorporates architectural design into its training program using 3D Studio VIZ software.
"3-D helps the client and the designer visualize the building," says Mike Kirkland, Valdosta Tech Drafting program coordinator.
Valdosta Tech student Allen Wadsworth has worked for architectural firm IPG Inc. for three years, and he enrolled in the 3-D program to boost his job skills. "Using 3-D animation you can pretty much fly the client through the building. That helps us get more clients and more jobs."
The 3-D animation classes will attract a new type of student to the technical college system, says Valdosta Tech President James Bridges. "Creative students need new tools in the digital age."

RESULTS Summer 2004 15

Laying Out the Future

Valdosta Tech carrot bag contest winners Dori Nicolson (left), who won first place, and Amanda Edenfield, who won second place.
Carrot tops
Valdosta students win design contest
STUDENTS IN VALDOSTA Technical College's Printing and Graphics program recently had a carrot dangled in front of them. This time, though, the proverbial motivational metaphor was for real.
Turns out that Marker 29 Produce, a broker in the produce business in Lake Park, Ga., needed fresh ideas for new carrot bags. So Valdosta Tech Printing and Graphics Instructor Marilu Wentworth arranged a design contest for her students, who scoured local grocery stores researching consumer preferences. Marker 29 Produce Sales Representative Harry Shaeffer picked the winners and awarded prizes.
Student Dori Nicolson won first place -- and $500 -- for a bag design that incorporated a silhouette of the state of Georgia.
"I wanted to add something local," she says. "That's what really caught their eye."
Amanda Edenfield won second place -- and $250 -- for a design featuring a cartoon rabbit.
"It was a real-life situation with real rewards," says Wentworth.
"This is a tribute to the instructors as well as the students," says Valdosta Tech President James Bridges. "The business connections we maintain in the technical college system provide windows of opportunity for students."

Visual Communications programs train designers to see and do
SARAH DAVIDSON IS a busy woman. She photographs
weddings. She creates brochures for local companies. She works as a marketing manager at Timbervest LLC, where she created a company Web site and a printed newsletter.
And she hasn't even graduated from college yet. A student at North Metro Technical College, Davidson is the perfect example of the contemporary approach to media design. These days, the field of visual communications requires artists and designers to be familiar with a whole range of media, and programs at Georgia's technical colleges are providing the right mix of skills. "North Metro Tech offered hands-on classes right off the bat," Davidson says. "I didn't have to wait a year before I started to learn the programs that would be integral to getting jobs." In today's world, businesses of all sizes need promotional material incorporating multiple media: Web sites, brochures, photography, business cards and more. "Because of this, more and more companies are hiring in-house graphic designers and Webmasters instead of contracting out those services," says Steve Dougherty, president of
Atlanta Tech Visual Communications program Lead Instructor Steve Schaffzin and Atlanta Tech graduate Eric Loving discuss Loving's Red Cross poster (pictured above).

Weaving the Web

DESIGNING FOR THE Internet demands a mastery of both artistic and technical skills. At Columbus Technical College's Internet Specialist Web Site Design diploma program, students learn the "art and science" of Web development with training in graphic design and digital photography, along with computer languages such as HTML, JavaScript and PERL. Photography skills are particularly important, says Frank Futyma, Columbus Technical College program coordinator for e-commerce and Web design. "In Web design classes, we take pictures. In multimedia classes, we take pictures." Those skills get exercised in the real world through the Community Web Initiative, where students create Web sites for public service organizations such as Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Columbus, the Columbus First Tee and the Columbus YMCA. "We do some good for the community and practice real-

world skills," says Futyma.
For each community project, a different student is elected "student Webmaster" to coordinate the effort. Student David McNabb served the post with the YMCA project. "I oversaw everything," he says. "I made sure the site was completed on time, I edited the site information and the photographs. I really learned management skills."
Says Columbus Technical College President Bob Jones, "It's important to have a member of our faculty like Frank Futyma, who recognizes that partnerships go beyond just relationships with business and extend to partnerships with the community."

North Metro Tech. "Our Visual Communications program trains students in both the printing and Web design programs, offering the opportunity for students to specialize in one or both areas."
As the times have changed, Atlanta Technical College and North Metro Tech kept up by developing new Visual Communications programs, which combine traditional print and graphic design skills with digital photography and Web design.
"As technology keeps improving, the number of specialized jobs in graphic design keeps collapsing," says North Metro Tech Visual Communications Instructor Adam Hart. "But the people

doing the job have to know it all." Atlanta Tech's Visual Communications program also offers
tracks in print or Web design, and is slated to begin offering classes in video production. "We've begun to build a collection of software to do digital video editing," says Atlanta Tech Visual Communications program Lead Instructor Steve Schaffzin.
Schaffzin also founded The VCM Group, a student club that acts as a full-service graphic design agency for local nonprofit groups.
"I wanted students to experience the whole process: How you talk to a client, how you present an idea," he says.
Continued on page 19

Going digital

FOR DECADES, BARBARA Hill ran her own

ceramics company. "But business started slowing

down. I had to do something else," she says.

Valdosta Tech graduate Barbara Hill working on her site MyValdosta.com.

So at age 50, she enrolled at Valdosta Technical College.
She studied programs such as Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Front

Page. After graduation, Hill started

Valdosta Web Design, which creates Web pages for small businesses, and MyValdosta.com,

an online business directory that already boasts 40 members.

She's also started an online restaurant site, where customers can browse menus of

Valdosta restaurants. "Customers can order, pay online and get deliveries to their home,"

Hill says.

She raves about the hands-on learning she received at Valdosta Tech. "One professor

sat down with me individually to help me learn programming -- it blew my mind."

16 Department of Technical and Adult Education

RESULTS Summer 2004 17

Wild at art
MARCIA FLATAU'S PAINTINGS depict bucolic nature scenes. But they were crafted with modern technology.
A 2000 graduate of Valdosta Technical College's Printing and Graphics program, she started Marcia's Wildlife Art, and business is booming. "I can't paint fast enough!" she exclaims.
She photographs wildlife -- birds, flowers, deer, owls -- and scans the photographs into her computer. Then, she uses the program Photoshop to adjust the images' colors and shadows. She paints on canvas, looking at the photographs as a visual guide.
She also creates large-scale murals. "The biggest one I did was an airplane on a side of a house." The client was a Delta Airlines flight attendant, who wanted the mural "as big as it could be."
So Flatau used her computer skills to transform a photograph of the plane into a grid for the 9 x 23-foot mural. "The plane looks like it's flying. Her house is right on Valdosta's main highway, so it's pretty cool."
Becoming an artist was Flatau's longtime goal. But prior to attending Valdosta Tech, the former bookkeeper never had the direction to let her work blossom.
Valdosta Tech "expanded everything I could do," she says. "It gave me the boost and confidence I needed to be my own boss."

Valdosta Tech graduate Marcia Flatau paints wildlife scenes guided by images scanned into her computer.

Start the presses
"Win-win" partnership helps business and students
DEKALB TECHNICAL COLLEGE'S new Graphic Design and Communications Academy illustrates the kind of "win-win" partnership between industry and education that is becoming a hallmark of Georgia's Technical College System.
The Academy was created in partnership with Network Communications Inc. to provide up-to-the-minute training for local printing companies. In return, DeKalb Tech received a host of cutting-edge equipment and supplies.
"The printing industry was not being represented trainingwise," says Paul Davis, director of DeKalb Tech's Printing and Graphics Department. "Network Communications said they would help fund our effort if we provided training seminars in kind for their employees."
Network helped the school obtain matching grants for 20 new G4 Macintosh computers, and provided new audio-visual equipment.
Network Communications employee and Academy student Justin Gotthardt (left) and DeKalb Tech Printing and Graphics Department Director Paul Davis (right) discuss a project while other Academy students listen.

The training focuses on publishing software such as QuarkXPress, Photoshop, FlightCheck, Illustrator and Acrobat.
Lawrenceville-based Network Communications produces real-estate digests that are distributed throughout the United States and Canada. "Here in our production staff, we have over 400 employees, so we have a huge need for training," says Stuart Christian, Network's VP of operations.
Network's employees are thrilled about the Academy. "When we post the fact that we have open slots for training at DeKalb Tech, our employees immediately sign up for it. They love it, and they love working with Paul," Christian says.
Decades ago, the printing industry required individual jobs for typesetters, cameramen, a color corrector, etc. The advent of computer desktop publishing changed all that. "All of the old skills are basically gone, but the old references are there," Davis says.
Now, the printing industry evolves at lightning speed. New editions of publishing software are released constantly, so employees never stop updating skills
"Our instructor works very hard to stay current with technology and this would be impossible without assistance from our industry partners," says Dr. Robin Hoffman, interim president of DeKalb Tech.
Students in DeKalb Tech's Printing and Graphics program reap big benefits from the partnership. Contact with major local employers translates into jobs. "Network routinely hires people directly out of class," Davis says.
Georgia's printing industry is on the rise. "We're experiencing double-digit growth in all our brands," Christian says. "The future of printing is very bright, and we'll need more alliances with educational facilities such as DeKalb Tech to help grow our industry."
"We believe that working closely with this rapidly changing industry benefits our students, local employers and technical education in Georgia," Dr. Hoffman says.

18 Department of Technical and Adult Education

"Laying Out the Future," continued from page 17
The VCM Group designed a poster for the Metro Atlanta Red Cross as part of its effort to attract more minority donors. The students' design concept paid homage to Dr. Charles Drew, who invented the technique for preserving blood. From a distance, the poster shows an image of Dr. Drew. Upon closer examination, small photographs of African-Americans from all walks of life are visible.
"Our Visual Communications

DeKalb Tech graduate Michael Smith inspects a job in Tucker Castleberry's pressroom.

program emphasizes leading-

edge skills that prepare designers for high-wage,

Fan fare

high-performance careers."

ANY SPORTS FAN would envy Michael Smith's job. At Tucker Castleberry Printing Inc., Smith helps produce print products for

Dr. Brenda Watts Jones, Atlanta Tech President
Atlanta Tech graduate Eric Loving was the lead designer. Gathering the photographs was a long process,

the Atlanta Braves, Falcons, Hawks and Thrashers. The company designs and produces Fan magazine for the
Atlanta Braves, in addition to the pocket schedules. Hawk Talk magazine is produced there, as well as all game programs for the Atlanta Thrashers.

he says. "We photographed people at school, at the Red

"It's really neat to see design come to life. When a customer

Cross, friends and family." Working with a real client was a valuable learning
experience, Loving says. "They had to change a few of my ideas. I learned to bend -- you've got to give in order to receive."
The lesson paid off: This spring, the American Red

approves my design concept, that's a great feeling." His education at DeKalb Technical College prepared him for
the ever-changing publishing industry. "We learned a lot about how the industry has progressed over the years, and also all the newest techniques and software. When you leave school, you are ready to hit the ground running."

Cross decided to expand the poster's distribution to

chapters nationwide. "Our Visual Communications program emphasizes

Dynamic

leading-edge skills that prepare designers for high-wage, high-performance careers," says Dr. Brenda Watts Jones,

design

president of Atlanta Tech. "We make it our business to keep the Visual Communications program relevant to industry needs."

WHEN BILL MCDOWELL (at right) graduated from Flint

River Technical College,

his goal was to become

an art director. Two

years later, mission accomplished. He was the art director at The

Thomaston Times newspaper. "It's ridiculous how quickly I met my

goal," McDowell says. "I had to go back and reset new goals."

Today, McDowell is the advertising production manager

at Highbury House Communications in Kennesaw. McDowell

works with a host of consumer magazines, ranging from

NASCAR publications to Pregnancy magazine, which recently

upped its circulation to 300,000.

McDowell says he owes his success to the real-world

training he got at Flint River Tech. "The experience you

North Metro Tech Visual Communications Instructor Adam Hart (left) critiques a layout with student Shirley Cox.

receive at a technical college far exceeds what you would get at a regular college because of the hands-
on experience."

RESULTS Summer 2004 19

North Georgia Tech Commercial Photography Department Chairman Richard Smith discusses a shot with photography student Joanna Henderson.

Technical college photography programs are ready for their closeup
FOR CHRIS AND Debbie Lowry, it was love at first photo
shoot, when the couple met at North Georgia Technical College's Commercial Photography program in 1987.
"I got to know her that first quarter and decided that she was the one," Chris says.
Today, the Lowrys own Classic Impressions Portrait Studios Inc., a successful photography studio in Rome, Ga. They photograph weddings, family portraits, proms and corporate events. Their home studio contains a huge selection of sets for posing, including a Victorian porch (popular for proms) and a set that resembles an old-time general store. "It's got the Little House on the Prairie look, so it's good for families who come in denim," Debbie says.
Their work is rewarding, because the Lowrys capture special life moments through pictures. "It's really great to hear how much the photographs mean to people, and to know you've provided them with memories," Debbie says.
What helps the Lowrys accomplish this, is that at North Georgia Tech, students learn more than just technical photographic skills. Creative design is required to stage a shot, and photographers need strong people skills to work with different personality types, North Georgia Tech Commercial Photography Department Chairman Richard Smith says.

The Lowrys both praise North Georgia Tech's photography

program for its well-rounded approach. "We got a good overall

education of photography, including advanced technical skills. It

helped us build our creativity," Chris says.

North Georgia Tech's commitment to creative arts technologies

is evident in its plans for a new building (42,886 square feet) that

will house the Commercial

Photography program, as

well as a recently

approved program in

Graphic Arts and

Printing. The college

plan includes certificate

programs in video and

multimedia production.

"The workforce that

is devoted to technical cre-

ativity is seeing remarkable

growth, and at North

Georgia Tech we feel this

new direction is our way of

responding to the demands of the expanded creative economy," says North Georgia Tech President Dr. Ruth Nichols.

North Georgia Tech graduates Chris and Debbie Lowry at work in their Rome, Ga. photography studio.

20 Department of Technical and Adult Education

Borduin had to start in two days. "I dropped everything that I was

In the last

doing and moved to New York City," Borduin recalls.

decade, photography

His first assignment: Working on a photography shoot for

has undergone a

mega-celebrity Beyonce and her Dangerously in Love CD cover. "It

seismic change, as

was simply incredible," Borduin says. "She was so much fun to

digital technology

work with on the set."

began to replace

Four months later, he was hired.

Smith (second from left) discusses darkroom procedures with North Georgia Tech photography students.

film. The implications for professional photographers are

For Borduin, the job is a dream come true. He's since worked on shoots with celebrities like Britney Spears, Jay Z and Georgia's own OutKast.

significant -- there's no film to develop, and with digital cameras,

"Students like Joseph are benefiting from the hands-on

the images can be viewed instantly.

experience they receive and turning that into a solid future for

Yet, the basic photographic skills remain the same. A good pho- themselves," says Gwinnett Tech President Sharon Rigsby.

tographer must understand lighting, composition and perspective.

"Our program, and technical colleges as a whole, are preparing

North Georgia Tech and Gwinnett Technical College both

students for the real world, and his success is evidence of that."

have long-established Commercial Photography degree programs,

and graduates are landing jobs in fashion, portraiture, commercial photography and photojournalism. The colleges teach the basics, but also keep up with the cutting edge.
North Georgia Tech's Commercial Photography program

Below: Images created by North Georgia Tech and Gwinnett Tech photography students.

boasts new digital cameras, says Smith.

Digital photography allows for faster

teaching, he says. "Before, you had to

process the film, print the print and go

through quite a bit before the students

see what they've shot. With digital, it's

instantly there on the computer. You see

the results right away."

Smith maintains strong ties with the

Georgia Professional Photographers

Association (GPPA), which holds its

annual week-long professional school at

North Georgia Tech each spring.

"We get equipment donations from GPPA; they are on our advisory commit-

Helene Mura

tee, and they are an excellent source for

students looking for jobs," Smith says.

Most photography schools focus on

Dana Davis

one genre: fine art photography or photo-

journalism, for example. But technical colleges are unique

because they train photographers across many areas, including

portraiture, technical lab skills, still-life and action photography,

says Kim Harkins, who started the Commercial Photography

program at Gwinnett Tech 20 years ago. "What we do best is help

them figure out what they do best."

Harkins also helps her students land career-launching intern-

ships. Last year, she contacted fashion photographer Markus

Klinko of Markus Klinko & Indrani Studios in New York City to

inquire about an internship for student Joseph Borduin.

Klinko, whose work has appeared in such magazines as Vanity

Fair and GQ, agreed to offer the internship, but with one catch:

Jenna Blackshear

RESULTS Summer 2004 21

Art and welding come together in contemporary metalwork

Modern technology means students don't have to form these scrolls by hand. Instead, scrolls are produced in the Super Scroller Plus 3000 machine and then welded together in patterns. "It's amazing," says Sandersville Tech student James Cain (above left with Sandersville Tech Lead Welding Instructor Tony Simmons). "Your imagination really is the limit."

NOT TOO LONG ago, blacksmiths needed an
anvil and a hammer to practice their craft. At Sandersville Technical College, students in the

Sandersville Tech Lead Welding Instructor Tony Simmons and students with an Old City Cemetery gate they created.

Ornamental Ironwork certificate program are melding those traditional skills

with the latest technology and contemporary creativity.

"We started this program to preserve the ancient art of blacksmithing," says Tony

Simmons, lead welding instructor.

For one of their most recent hands-on projects, Simmons and a band of students crafted

an ornate iron fence (1,800 feet plus three gates) for Old City Cemetery, a historic site

in downtown Sandersville. The city saves on labor costs, and students learn a practical

skill, Simmons says.

The Old City Cemetery gate is crafted in "basic early American" style, Simmons says. "It

has that `Savannah look' to it. There are two or three S scrolls welded together to give it a blos-

som effect. There are C scrolls at the bottom." The two scrolls are the basic shapes used in

ornamental ironwork.

The benefits of this project are huge, Sandersville Tech student James Cain says. "You get

bragging rights -- you can look at the gate when you are in town and say, `Hey, I did that!'

And you get an employment edge. You can tell potential employers, `I helped build

the cemetery gate.'"

Ornamental ironwork has applications in metal gates, fences, security

bars and sculpture.

"Working on the Old City Cemetery iron fence gives our stu-

dents the practice they need to be successful," says Sandersville

Tech President Dr. Jack Sterrett. "Ornamental ironworking

takes creative talent and good

welding skills. Without pro-

grams like ours, a wonderful

occupation would be lost."

Art of steel
NORTHWESTERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE student Julie Clark used to make horseshoes for a living. Now, she's a respected metalwork artist, thanks to her studies at Northwestern Tech's Welding and Joining Technology program.
"I create metal sculpture with steel using forging and blacksmithing techniques," Clark says.
Clark's sculptures include whimsical flowerpots and animals. She also crafts functional objects such as candleholders, garden railings, lamps, coffee tables and bookends. "Sometimes I buy steel, or I

Northwestern Tech student Julie Clark heats metal to a blistering 25,000 degrees using a plasma cutter in her Rising Fawn, Ga., studio. "The plasma cutter allows you to make a distinct, perfect cut," says Northwestern Tech Welding Instructor Claude Cox. "Julie's an incredible welder."

go to a junkyard and buy old machinery or chains for my work," she says.
Even prior to graduation, her artistic reputation blossomed, allowing her to become active in many area galleries.
"Julie is a great example of how you can put a technical education to use in many ways," says Northwestern Tech President Dr. Ray Brooks. "By taking an industrial skill and applying it in a creative and unique way, she has found yet another way that technical education can pay off in a career for our students."

22 Department of Technical and Adult Education

Even opticians need to be creative
SURE, EVERYONE WANTS glasses
that fix their vision problems. But we also want glasses that look good. Picking out the perfect pair -- from bifocals to jewelencrusted frames -- requires technical precision and fashion sensibility.
At DeKalb Technical College's Opticianry diploma program, students learn both -- how to analyze a patient's face shape, complexion and lifestyle.
"If a person has a round face and round glasses, then all you see is round, round, round," explains Opticianry program Director Tom Schultz. "You'd give that person a more squarish frame, to balance it out."
"Students use their creativity to help people choose lenses that solve their eye problems and frames that are the right color, shape and style," says Dr. Robin Hoffman, interim president of DeKalb Tech.

DeKalb Tech uses training aids with
common face shapes to teach opticianry students how to help clients choose flattering
frames.
An aging population means an increased demand for licensed opticians. "Baby boomers are now in their 50s and realizing they need glasses," Schultz says.
Graduates find work in doctors' offices (optometrists and ophthalmologists) and in retail eyewear stores. The state of Georgia requires that retail eyewear stores have a licensed optician on staff, and DeKalb Tech's program prepares students to take the licensing exam.
"I'm constantly getting calls from retailers who need graduates," Schultz says. "Right now, I'm getting about three calls for every graduate I have."

The eyes have it
SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO, Robert Hooker (at left) graduated from DeKalb Technical College's Opticianry program. Today, he's operations manager for all seven Atlanta locations of Thomas Eyewear, a division of Thomas Eye Group, an ophthalmology practice with 15 doctors.
Hooker has the final say on which eyewear frames are on display. "You learn to stay current on what's in fashion, the colors."
Opticianry demands a diverse range of skills, he says. A strong fashion sense is required to choose stylish frames. Technical skill is required to correctly fill the prescription lens. And business skills must be sharpened constantly.
"DeKalb Tech gave me a good background for a prosperous career," he says. "The business side of it, you are always learning, every day."
RESULTS Summer 2004 23

United States servicemen and servicewomen in the Learning Center at Ft. Gordon near Augusta. Augusta Tech has opened an office on the base and regularly uses the Learning Center.

A Fighting Chance ByGregLand
Technical colleges provide opportunity for military personnel and their families
In recent years, many of Georgia's technical colleges have begun dedicating resources specifically to serve military personnel and their families. Savannah Technical College works with both Ft. Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield; Athens Technical College has developed an aviation system course in cooperation with the U.S. Marines and the nearby Navy Supply School; and both Albany Technical College and South Georgia Technical College seek out corpsmen from the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany.
Some, like Columbus Technical College and Valdosta Technical College, teach coursework on base at Ft. Benning and Moody Air Force Base, respectively. And a few, like Augusta Technical College, have opened offices on base to be closer to a constituency that is increasingly seeking out technical education.
"Our daily presence here has been critical to our success," says Augusta Tech Director of Community and Public Affairs George Lightfoot, who spends a large part of each week recruiting, counseling and testing at Ft. Gordon's Learning Center.
One soldier, Staff Sgt. Luis Figueroa, exemplifies the servicemembers taking advantage of the classes available at Augusta Tech.
"I've been taking air-conditioning classes about six months," says Figueroa. "I'm trying to get more skills and knowledge while I'm still in, so I'll have them when I get out."
Under the Defense Department's Servicemembers Opportunity College program, says Ft. Gordon's Chief of Education Services Jim Zills, soldiers and their families are offered a range of courses.
"A soldier walking through the Learning Center doors can go from GED to M.A. in six years," says Zills.
And what technical colleges have to offer has become increasingly popular with soldiers and their families.
"Military personnel do seem drawn to technical courses," observes Laura Lerdell, who coordinates the outreach program at Moody Air Force Base for Valdosta Tech, one of a handful of Georgia technical colleges that teach regular classes on bases. "Air-conditioning, automotive, electrical and computer information systems are very popular."
Similarly, Columbus Technical College uses classrooms at Ft. Benning -- a situation that will expand when the current base commissary

24 Department of Technical and Adult Education

Above and left: Middle Georgia Tech students sharpen their skills in order to help America take flight at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins. Inset and below: Scenes from Robins Air Force Base.
and post exchange complex relocates, according to Columbus Technical College Director of Instruction for Technology Ray Mercer.
"We've always had people that came to us," says Mercer, "but we really wanted to take as much to them as we can, because we're on the other side of town from Benning. For some of the younger soldiers who may not have cars, that has been a challenge."
Since the increase in deployments overseas, technical colleges have found their services in increasing demand by those left at home. Columbus Technical College, which offers two computer and lecture courses at the Army Infantry Center, also partners with the base's huge Martin Army Hospital to provide dental hygiene instruction.
"A lot of them are trying to improve their healthcare certification for service advancement," notes Columbus Technical College's Director of Marketing and Institutional Advancement Carolyn Marlow. "There's such a demand across the country."
She cites the example of young women like Kenda Whittingham, the wife of a drill sergeant at Ft. Benning, who will soon graduate with an associate degree in Dental Hygiene.
It's just such students that Ft. Gordon's Zills hopes to reach. "We've all heard the horror stories of servicemembers being deployed somewhere while a spouse ends up seeking food stamps or welfare because of having no marketable skills," says Zills. With the help of Georgia's technical colleges, Zills says, "We want to make sure that doesn't happen."

Keep em Flying
Middle Georgia Technical College pushes the envelope with training
ROBINS AIR FORCE Base in central Georgia is a key maintenance and repair center for the Air Force's F-15 fighters, AC-
130 gunship and the huge C-15, C-130 and C5-B cargo carriers.
And Middle Georgia Technical College is right in the middle of it.
"My job is to provide ongoing training to the civilian personnel who do the maintenance and repairs," says Middle Georgia Tech Robins program Director Don Slee, whose 24-member staff ensures that about 16,000 workers are kept up to speed in aircraft maintenance, avionics and computers.
By comparison, he notes, there are only about 3,000 active-duty personnel present on the base.
"The flight-line and test pilots are military," says Slee, "but otherwise we're almost all contract employees here."
The coursework is specifically developed for the Robins program, and many of the classes are taught in well-equipped classrooms in the base's original 1941-vintage hangar. "It's a one-of-a-kind program," says Slee. Jim Newton, VP of Economic Development for Middle Georgia Tech -- himself a former Air Force pilot -- says the training contract cements a relationship that has long prospered between the school and the base. "We also have a co-op program," he says. "Middle Georgia Tech students can enroll, and after two quarters, if they've got a `B' average, they can interview with the base.
"It's a great benefit for our students, and really about the only way somebody who's not ex-military can get a job there."
RESULTS Summer 2004 25

`

Vision Accomplished

STATE LEADERS COMMEMORATE 20 YEARS OF DTAE SUCCESS

At the DTAE's 20th anniversary celebration, DTAE State Board Chairman Harold Reynolds (middle) and State Board member Edgar Rhodes (right) present Dr. Kenneth Breeden, the DTAE's first commissioner, with a unique award celebrating his 20 years of service to Georgia.
26 Department of Technical and Adult Education

On the evening of March 10, business and civic leaders from around the state gathered in Atlanta to commemorate one of the most significant events in the history of education and economic development in Georgia -- the 20th anniversary of the creation of what we know today as the Department of Technical and Adult Education.
"Tonight, we are here to celebrate the anniversary of that historic moment 20 years ago when Governor Joe Frank Harris opened up a new world of opportunity for Georgia citizens and Georgia businesses," DTAE State Board Chairman Harold Reynolds told the members of the audience.
It was in 1984 that Gov. Harris signed an executive order creating the State Board of Postsecondary Vocational Education and chose Dr. Kenneth Breeden to serve as its executive director. The Postsecondary Board soon transformed into the Department of Technical and Adult Education, and Dr. Breeden was appointed its commissioner, a role he would fill until his retirement at the end of June 2004.
"Over the past two decades, Ken has articulated a vision, built a team and created

a system of technical colleges, Adult Literacy programs and economic development training programs that today is the foundation of our state's prosperity and is a model for the nation," Reynolds added.
"He was brilliant. He
had a vision. He had
a mission. He had a
plan. And he knew
how to carry it out."
Edgar Rhodes, DTAE State Board member
"He was brilliant," said longtime DTAE State Board member Edgar Rhodes about Dr. Breeden. "He had a vision. He had a mission. He had a plan. And he knew how to carry it out."
Also speaking at the anniversary was Larry Comer, the first chairman of the State Board of Technical Education, who described the three principles that were the foundation of the original vision for the DTAE. "One is customer focus, the other is partnership with business and industry and a third is a commitment to quality," Comer explained. "These early goals were key facilitators to gain the momentum that we needed." Former Gov. Harris also spoke during the anniversary celebration, commenting on how, at the time he put in motion the legislation that would eventually create the DTAE, he knew that there was only one man who could lead the initiative to build a world-class technical education system. "Ken had everything that we were looking for," said Gov. Harris in his testimonial. "Dr. Breeden has been an expert conflict negotiator. He could bring warring factions together. He's been an outstanding leader for our state."
Continued next page
Gov. Sonny Perdue (top left), former Gov. Joe Frank Harris (middle) and first State Board of Technical Education Chairman Larry Comer (bottom) praised Dr. Breeden's vision at the 20th anniversary celebration.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PAST 20 YEARS
1984 Gov. Joe Frank Harris creates
the State Board of Postsecondary Vocational
Education with Dr. Kenneth Breeden at
its helm, beginning the process of bringing all the state's technical education facilities under one system.
1987 Quality-control standards are
put into place to guarantee the consistency of instruction among technical institutes.
1988 The State Board of Postsecondary
Vocational Education evolves into the
Department of Technical and Adult Education. Dr. Breeden is named commis-
sioner. The Office of Adult Literacy is incorporated into the DTAE.
1989 The DTAE implements a statewide
warranty program that guarantees that all
technical college students meet basic standards, or else the student will be retrained for free.
1993 The HOPE Scholarship broadens
access to postsecondary education. A critical
component is the HOPE Grant program
that helps students attend technical institutes.
2000 H.B. 1187 is passed, allowing
technical institutes to change their names to
technical colleges. A funding formula is
developed that allows the technical college system to accommodate the exploding enrollment growth.
2004 Gwinnett Technical College
becomes a part of Georgia's Technical College System. For the first time ever, all technical colleges in the state are part of one coordinated system, fulfilling the vision first articulated by Dr. Breeden 20 years earlier.
RESULTS Summer 2004 27

Perspective

P R E S I D E N T'S

Continued from previous page

Gov. Harris' expectations were more than met. Today, the

nerships between colleges and businesses have resulted in the

DTAE is internationally recognized as one of the most innovative flexible and responsive development of training programs to

and effective agencies in the United States dedicated to the full

quickly meet the fast-changing needs of industry. The state's tech-

scope of workforce development.

nical colleges and Georgia Quick Start have

Encompassing Georgia's Technical College System, Adult Literacy programs and Quick

ABOUT THE AWARD

become a key incentive for attracting new investment to the state.

Start, the DTAE serves Georgians through

"Dr. Breeden has served as DTAE

its commitment to educational excellence

commissioner since the agency was formed.

and workforce development.

During his tenure, he succeeded in taking a

By 2000, more than one billion dollars

loose collection of independent trade and

had been invested in Georgia's modernized

vocational schools and turning them into a

Technical College System. Students were

unified system of technical colleges with

flocking to the new campuses that were

state-of-the-art campuses on which

being built. Legislation allowed Georgia's

Georgians learn high-demand skills that

technical institutes to change their names

lead to high-wage jobs. In addition, the

to technical colleges, and Georgia's unique

DTAE's adult literacy services under Dr.

HOPE program had been expanded, paving the way to educational success for tens of thousands of Georgians attending technical colleges.
The celebration of the agency's 20th anniversary also coincided with Dr. Breeden's 20th anniversary of leading the development of Georgia's Technical College System. In January, Dr. Breeden announced his retirement from his position as the first and only commissioner of the DTAE.
A statement issued from Governor

This one-of-a-kind award was created by artisans of Atlanta's Frbel Studio and acquired by the State Board of Technical and Adult Education. It was presented to Dr. Breeden in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education, and in recognition of his dedication to the increase in and improvement of education and training opportunities for the citizens of Georgia.

Breeden's leadership have helped tens of thousands of Georgians earn their GED."
In the statement, Gov. Perdue commented, "I want to sincerely thank Dr. Kenneth Breeden for nearly 20 years of committed service to the people of Georgia. The DTAE and our state will miss his vision and leadership."
At the 20th anniversary celebration, the Governor added to his praise of Dr. Breeden's accomplishments, saying, "The ultimate vision and purpose of DTAE is to serve Georgians and help them, provide

Sonny Perdue's office after Dr. Breeden

them with better job opportunities and a

announced his retirement noted that "Dr. Breeden's vision for the better quality of life.

technical colleges has made them a key component in the growth

"That is the American dream, that's the Georgia dream, that's

and development of Georgia's business and industry. Local part- the DTAE dream."

28 Department of Technical and Adult Education

Built to Last
Honoring Dr. Kenneth
Breeden's contribution
to Georgia
By Dr. Diane Harper East Central Technical
College President

"Dr. Breeden has built a
superstructure of opportunities for Georgia,
the nation and our world."
Dr. Diane Harper, East Central Tech President

Like an oak tree from a little acorn, the DTAE has grown from humble beginnings. When Dr. Kenneth Breeden began building this agency as executive director of the State Board of Postsecondary Vocational Education, only a handful of technical institutes were a part of the state system. But as each year passed, more schools came under state governance and new initiatives were launched, such as the statewide warranty program in 1989 to guarantee the competencies of graduates, and the Work Ethics concept, which was integrated into the system in 1990.
Fast-forward to 2004. What we know today as the DTAE has grown to include 34 technical colleges with multiple campuses and four university system colleges with technical divisions, and the world looks to Georgia as a model for technical education and workforce training programs.
Today, Georgia's Technical College System serves more than 153,000 students, and has a graduate placement rate of 98 percent. Last year, Adult Literacy graduations totaled 63,271, and our worldrenowned Quick Start program was involved in 304 economic development projects.
How have these impressive feats been accomplished? Anyone who has had an affiliation with the DTAE can easily attribute its development to a leader who has been committed from the start to a "Built to Last" philosophy that insists upon a strong, solid internal framework. From the beginning, Dr. Breeden instilled these
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AN ONGOING SERIES OF EDITORIALS BY THE PRESIDENTS OF GEORGIA'S TECHNICAL COLLEGES

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PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

Continued from previous page
concepts in his presidents. I believe the DTAE owes its success to the following things.
First, there are some timeless fundamentals. The DTAE has preserved its guiding principle that our only business is workforce development. Our basic purpose -- our reason for existing -- will serve as a
East Central Technical College
guiding beacon for years to come. From the beginning, there existed a framework of core elements that included students, faculty and staff, facilities and physical plants, businesses and industries, and local and statewide supporters of postsecondary adult education. These elements are the building blocks upon which Dr. Breeden has built a superstructure of opportunities for Georgia, the nation and our world.
We constantly ask ourselves, "How can we improve?" No matter how much we achieve, and no matter how far in front of our competitors we are, we never think we've done enough. The DTAE has a powerful drive for progress that has enabled us to change and adapt without compromising our values. Dr. Breeden has been clear on his expectations and on our purpose. We are all driven to respond to our customers and to meet the needs of our customers. We understand completely that our goal is to be the best in the world at developing our workforce.
Second, we believe that the essence of greatness does not lie in cost cutting, restructuring or the profit

motive, but in peoples' dedication to building an agency around a sense of purpose and a set of core values that give meaning to our lives and work. We have had to respond to budget reductions and downsizing while still maintaining readiness for the future. Dr. Breeden has worked hard to create a superb management team, to develop a sustainable economic engine, to cultivate a culture that could withstand adversity and change and to be the best in the world at what we do. Through his leadership, we have been able to balance resources and energy between today's problems and tomorrow's.
Finally, Dr. Breeden was not about simply building an agency that would last. His dream was to build something worthy of lasting. It was a dream about building an agency of such intrinsic excellence that the world would lose something important if the agency ceased to exist. The great irony of all of this is that we now enjoy the best opportunity in 20 years to build great colleges that will change the world in which we live. Historian James Truslow Adams once wrote that Americans believe life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.
On June 30, 2004, DTAE faculty, staff and students will officially bid farewell to Dr. Kenneth Breeden. I, along with all of the presidents, extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to Dr. Breeden. His steadfast drive to make a better life for Georgia's citizens has paved a never-ending path for us to carry out his dream that every person, no matter their status in life, should be provided the opportunity to receive a quality education. As James Mason Wood once said, "Education today, more than ever before, must see clearly the dual objectives: education for living and education for making a living." The DTAE and the state of Georgia are losing a "warrior for the people," but we will remain strong because Dr. Breeden has instilled in each of us the uncompromising commitment to keep true to our mission and values.
In quiet moments, we all wonder what our lives will amount to, what we're going to leave behind. Dr. Breeden has built an agency that is big and long-lasting. He has left his legacy. He has built an agency worthy of lasting -- one that will continue making a contribution to the lives of our students. He has created an agency that truly is "Built to Last."

30 Department of Technical and Adult Education

Georgia's Technical College System

The Department of Technical and Adult Education and its constituent Technical Colleges do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, veteran status or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law).

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