Athens Technical College Adult Education Program has been honored with the Advancing Workforce Development for Adult Learners Award by the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), a national organization dedicated to advancing the field of adult literacy.

Athens Technical College (ATC) Adult Education program serves 11 counties in northeast Georgia and creates opportunities for students to learn the academic, occupational, and workforce skills they need to gain employment. In partnership with the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission for Workforce Development, ATC has developed several programs.

The Bridge to Success Program (Ages 18-24) provides High School Equivalency (HSE) training and short-term Occupational Skills training in several in-demand occupations, such as Welding, Commercial Truck Driving, and Manufacturing; and four Integrated Education and Training (IET) career pathways programs help students develop transferable workplace skills while mastering contextualized adult education curricula:

• ManufactuREADY prepares students to work in the field of manufacturing, working on 3D Printing-Additive Manufacturing, blueprint reading, understanding electrical circuits and diagrams, and the operation of various machinery.
• Welding to Work is a four-week program inclusive of two weeks of basic skills instruction and soft skills instruction and two weeks of hands-on welding training.
• Home Health Aide is a three-week course where students learn about general patient care, assisting with medical appointments, and collecting information for health care providers.
• ServSafe Manager provides training on the FDA Food Code, food safety research, and food safety practices.

Each program’s workforce skills training component includes GeorgiaBEST (Business Employability Skills Training) that was created by the Georgia Department of Labor to prepare students with the soft skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce. Students who complete the intensive training receive a certification from GDOL that validates to employers that they have the skills required to be successful such as attendance, punctuality, teamwork, communication skills, and attitude.