Albany Technical College to Hold G.I.R.L.S. Summer Camp June 15-17

VIEW THE PICTURE GALLERY FROM THE EVENT

The G.I.R.L.S. Camp will include high school students from the College’s seven county service delivery area,including Dougherty, Lee, Clay, Calhoun, Baker, Randolph, and Terrell Counties. These young ladies will spend three days on the campus of Albany Technical College and learn the basics of welding, single phase wiring, carpentry, CAD drawing, and also take a tour of the MillerCoors facility.

The focus of the camp is to introduce and promote career awareness in the energy, manufacturing, and construction professions to high school girls interested in pursuing a career in these areas. The featured guest speaker for the camp will be Ms. Sara Collins, Project Manager Trainee for MetroPower. Mr. Kevin Ward, Director of Operations for the Construction Educational Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA) will also be presenting to the students.

“Our region and country is facing a growing shortage of skilled, well-educated workers,” said Emmett Griswold, Dean of Academic Affairs for Albany Technical College. “There is a strong demand for new talent in the construction and energy field due to industry growth, projected retirements, and attrition. Our objective is to expose these young ladies to the different, but lucrative careers available to them in the construction, energy, and manufacturing industry.”

According to the U.S. Department of Women’s Bureau in 2008, women comprised 46.5 percent of the total U.S.labor force and was projected to account for 47 percnet of the labor force by 2016. However, only one percent accounted for those women employed in natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations.

Georgia Power predicts that by 2030, 40 percent of the nation’s population will live in the Southern region of the country. Georgia alone will add another four million people to its population. The company added that 50 percent of its workforce is eligible for retirement. The Nuclear Energy Institute further reports that the energy industry could lose almost 20,000 workers, 35 percent of its workforce, to retirement by the end of 2012. Thus, the demand for skilled and competent employees in the energy field is not only a long-term need, but an immediate one as well.

“We hope this experience will spark a sincere interest in the non-traditional career path and the campers will choose a career path based on their interests, skills, and abilities, rather than a career based on gender stereotypes,” added Griswold.

Albany Technical College thanks its sponsors, which include the Georgia Energy and Industrial Construction Consortium (G.E.I.C.C.), the Association of General Contractors (AGC), the Construction Educational Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA), MetroPower, MillerCoors, Flint River Habitat for Humanity, and Advertising with Lisa.


About Albany Technical College
A public postsecondary institution of the Technical System of Georgia, Albany Technical College provides technical education and training support for the evolving workforce needs of Southwest Georgia through traditional and online classroom settings. For more information about Albany Tech, go to www.AlbanyTech.edu or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/AlbanyTech