The primary mission of Georgia’s technical colleges is workforce development. The Albany area has a healthy mix of industries—from candy to paper products to pharmaceuticals—and Albany Tech partners with these industries to fulfill their workforce training needs.

One example of these mutually beneficial partnerships that Albany Tech enjoys is the Miller Brewing Co. Tools for Success program. Since 1993, Miller Brewing Co. has contributed $25,000 annually to a competitive scholarship program that awards 14-20 graduates with tools for their trade. For the past three years, the Albany Tech Foundation has matched that amount, and a Tools for Success® Instructor of Excellence award was added.

Another prime example of Albany Tech’s productive industry relationships is that with pharmaceutical giant, Merck and Company. When industry demand called for Albany Tech to institute a pharmacy technology program, Merck’s Flint River plant provided the funding for equipment and computers and to construct the pharmacy lab. Merck also provided $100,000 for a live, interactive, distance-learning project, the Georgia Virtual Classroom, Inc.

Albany Technical College has a presence at numerous plant sites, including Procter and Gamble (P&G). Albany Tech and P&G have partnered to provide training to P&G’s approximately 1,500 hourly workers. Albany Tech’s applied manufacturing technology program is offered at the P&G plant site. The program was designed to meet the needs of all of P&G’s workers, improving their skill sets, which helps them with promotions while also helping the company increase its efficiency and profitability.

The applied manufacturing technology program is designed to be a flexible tool that will keep pace with the industry’s evolving technical-skills needs. This college-to-industry relationship is an excellent example of how Albany Tech is reaching out to meet the needs of area industries and how they access the college’s resources for their training.

Albany Technical College has a strong partnership with the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany (MCLB), also. MCLB recently made available to Albany Tech’s diesel technology program a front-end loader for training purposes. In addition, almost all area industries participate in Albany Tech’s career fairs, and many in internship programs.