January 27, 2002
Albany-- Albany Technical College is enjoying soaring enrollment. But the college is also dealing with the growing pains that come with it. And, it's not alone. More students are enrolled in the University System of Georgia than ever before.
This student is mixing plaster for a dental impression--the kind of hands on training for which Albany Technical College is known.
"I think most people want the immediate reward from education." Albany Tech interim vice president Calvin Lee says more people are seeking that immediate reward-- enrolling in record numbers at the trade school.
But, he's finding it hard to hire instructors to train all these people, "In the afternoon have professionals in part-time. But in the day time finding people with the proper credentials to teach the courses we've found to be somewhat difficult."
"The way we are dealing with the growth is it's not easy but we are dealing with it." Since 1990, Bill Underwood's Automotive Collision class has ballooned from six students to 75-- and he says that trend won't stop anytime soon, "People calling all the time, desperate for trained people, calling from Savannah and Atlanta."
Signs of the expanding student body is evident on campus--with a new state of the art computer facility under construction. And, projects like these are becoming more necessary than ever to accommodate the growing number of students. Albany Tech Vice President Calvin Lee thinks more students are seeking extra education because there are fewer jobs out there, and they hope the extra training will help.
Posted by melissa.kill@walb.com
^ Calvin Lee
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