HGTC Instructor Certified in Welding Inspection and Education
Individuals seeking to work in the welding field can take the exam for certification at Heart of Georgia Technical College with Instructor Johnny Howard. Howard was recently re-certified as a Certified Welding Educator and Certified Welding Inspector by the American Welding Society. The certification, which must be renewed every three years, enables an Inspector to give exams to both students and individuals.
“Most employers want their welding employees to be certified,” says Howard. For those individuals who are interested in obtaining certification, the exam tests skills and has four main categories with different levels within each category. The exam is hands-on and can be taken at the college, or Howard will go to the job site and administer the test if a company has employees that need to be certified.
Welders are in high demand, and the college gets calls every day from employers seeking welders. Many students are offered jobs even before they graduate from the program. The starting pay for a welder is around $9.00-$12.00 an hour locally. The diploma program at HGTC takes a year to complete when attending school full-time during day classes, but certificates are available at various levels of accomplishment.
For more information on welding courses offered at HGTC or on welding certification exams, Johnny Howard can be reached at 478-274-7869.
Fatherhood Program Helps Student Overcome
Ryan Asselin only has to look back a few years to be thankful for where he is today. Asselin’s future is looking brighter every day, but it hasn’t always been that way.
Asselin married his first wife when he was very young. Together they had two children. When the marriage ended in divorce, he began looking for a job that would allow him to make a comfortable living and support his two children. He began a job in 2002 with Lithonia Lighting in Cochran that worked out well, and he was able to meet all his financial obligations. He remarried during this time and currently has two small children.
While working at Lithonia Lighting, Asselin kept his child support payments current, but when his payments were reassessed, the court ruled he owed an additional $24,000 stating he had not paid enough. He began the increased payments, but within a year was laid-off indefinitely from his work.
Being considered a displaced worker, he received unemployment and took the opportunity to go to school. After careful thought and discussion with his wife, Asselin decided to apply to Heart of Georgia Technical College and began his studies, “I started school in January 2005 and a week later I was ready to quit. I told my wife, I can’t do this stuff anymore; I’m too old for school. She told me I wasn’t going to quit school and that we would do this together.”
Although he started out struggling in math, Asselin ended the course with a 99 average. He realized he could do the required work and has maintained a near perfect grade point average. He has participated in the Fatherhood Program which helps non-custodial parents get the education they need to learn skills to better support themselves and their children.
Asselin completed the requirements for the Air Conditioning Technology Program in the spring of 2006 and is currently employed at the VA Medical Center in a full-time temporary capacity.
“Life seems pretty great right now. The Heart of Georgia Technical College is a wonderful school and with the help of programs like the Fatherhood Program and the wonderful staff and instructors, my future is looking brighter every day,” says Asselin.
HGTC Pre-K Honored
The Pre-K program at Heart of Georgia Technical College was recently recognized for exceeding requirements established by Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
The Pre-K program was recognized for the school year 2005-2006. The recognition is based on the program’s scores on the Program Quality Assessment. Daphne Haley, Pre-K Division Director for Bright from the Start said, “As we continue to raise the bar and expectations for Georgia’s Pre-K Program, it is rewarding to know that you are one of those sites who accepted and met the challenge.”
HGTC’s Pre-K program currently serves 20 students. Instructor for the class is Misty Smith and Angela Smith serves as Assistant Teacher. The class is active throughout the year with learning in the classroom and through activities that teach real life skills and knowledge.
Among the activities the class participated in, some of the favorites of the children included field trips to a farm to see sugar cane ground. They tasted cane juice for the first time at the Mr. and Mrs. Billy Thomas’s farm. Mr. Thomas also ground cornmeal for cornbread. The children went to Beall’s Christmas Tree Farm and cut down their own tree for the classroom and rode the HGTC float in the Christmas parade.
The Dublin Fire Department visited the class and brought their Smoke House out for the children to experience. The Early Childhood Care and Education students at HGTC hosted an Art Fair and a Musical Instrument Fair for the Pre-K. Moms and Dads were welcomed into the classroom for “Muffins for Mom” and Donuts for Dad.”
The children were also taught a valuable lesson about giving to others through the HOPATHON for Muscular Dystrophy. The class raised over $600 to give to the worthy cause.
The class even participated in the First Annual Festival of Trees at HGTC, where they made ornaments and decorations to showcase their class.
Haley of Bright from the Start congratulated the class, “We applaud your efforts and those of all the staff who made this happen. Bright from the Start wishes you continued success and achievement in the future as we work together to help prepare Georgia’s children for school…and for life.”
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