As the needs of Georgia’s businesses have evolved, the leaders of the state’s Technical College System have responded with new strategies and new solutions that have kept our economy growing and provided valuable opportunities for our citizens.

Through the efforts of these dedicated visionaries, we have laid a foundation for our system that allows us to remain strong in times of challenge, flexible in times of change, and focused in times of success.

On the eve of World War II, significant federal funds were made available for developing programs in vocational education. In 1943, Dr. M.D. Mobley, then the State Director of Vocational Education, succeeded in getting the State Board of Education to approve his recommended plan for a system of Area Trade Schools, and by 1944 the first school opened in Clarkesville — North Georgia Trade and Vocational School. Four years later, a second school opened in Americus — South Georgia Trade and Vocational School.

By the late 1960s, thousands of Georgians were enrolling in the 19 schools that had opened in Georgia during that decade. At the same time, legislation created Quick Start, a unique workforce-training program.

The growth continued, and soon another major landmark was reached in 1984 when Governor Joe Frank Harris created the State Board of Postsecondary Vocational Education, which ultimately led to the creation of the Department of Technical and Adult Education in 1988. That same year, the state’s adult literacy programs were transferred to the newly created DTAE to work side by side with the technical schools and Quick Start. For the first time in Georgia history, a state agency was now dedicated to the full scope of workforce development services — literacy, technical education, and economic development.

These accomplishments marked a new way of thinking about technical education in Georgia. We recognized the necessity to link technical education to the needs of Georgia’s businesses and industries, its people, and its communities. No longer were Georgia’s technical schools just teaching trades. Technical education became a key component in economic and community development around the state.

We are guided by three defining principles: customer focus, partnerships with business and industry, and a commitment to quality. Underlying all these principles is our commitment to our students.

Today, our system’s 34 technical colleges are at the center of the state’s economic development team, providing careers for Georgia’s citizens and guaranteeing success for Georgia’s future.

The timeline below traces the development of the DTAE.

 

1917 – Smith-Hughes Act passed. The first significant piece of federal legislation directed toward vocational education, co-sponsored by Georgia Senator Hoke Smith.

1943 – Dr. M.D. Mobley, State Director of Vocational Education Services, establishes statewide technicaleducation system through the State Board of Education.

1944, 1948 – Establishment of Georgia’s first vocational schools, North and South Georgia.

1950s & ’60s – W.M. Hicks, State Supervisor of Trade and Industrial Education, develops set of policies for establishing Area Vocational-Technical Schools. The Woodall Amendment passed by Congress and establishes area boards for the operation of vocational trade schools.

1967 – Quick Start created.

1970s – Vocational-technical divisions established at colleges in Bainbridge, Dalton, Jonesboro and Brunswick.

1984 – Governor Joe Frank Harris establishes the Vocational Education Task Force and signs an Executive Order creating the State Board of Postsecondary Vocational Education. The State Board of Education and Board of Regents officially delegate vocational education responsibility to the Postsecondary Board. Under Governor Harris’ leadership, The Quality Basic Education Act (QBE) becomes law. Under QBE, the Postsecondary Board is expanded and its responsibilities are broadened.

1986 – Athens, Columbus, Heart of Georgia and Middle Georgia Technical Institutes voluntarily transfer from local to state governance.

1987 – First set of program standards implemented to guarantee consistency and quality of technical schools statewide. HB 267 provides detailed guidelines for transferring schools from local to state governance. Appalachian, Augusta, Coosa Valley, Griffin, Swainsboro, West Central and West Georgia Technical Institutes convert from local to state governance.

1988

• Albany, Chattahoochee, Flint River, Lanier, Moultrie, Northwestern, Ogeechee, Okefenokee, Southwest Georgia and Valdosta Technical Institutes convert from local to state governance.
• Altamaha and North Metro Technical Institutes open.

• Department of Technical and Adult Education created by state law. Dr. Kenneth H. Breeden named Commissioner of DTAE.

• Office of Adult Literacy moved from Department of Education to Department of Technical and Adult Education.

• First Interagency Council on Adult Literacy held.

1989

• Central Georgia and Southeastern Technical Institutes convert from local to state governance.
• “Technical Education Guaranteed” statewide warranty established to ensure that all students meet basic standards.
• Certified Literate Community Program (CLCP) established.

1990

• East Central Technical Institute converts from local to state governance.
• Work Ethics concepts integrated into standard instructional programs.
• Technical Institutes Directors Association (TIDA) established.
• First class of Certified Economic Developer Trainers graduates.
• Quick Start begins offering service industry training.

1991

• Work-based learning initiatives begin, combining classroom instruction, onsite instruction, and on-the-job training.

1992

• General Educational Development (GED) changed from certificate to diploma.
• Georgia General Assembly appropriates $45.3 million for capital improvements in the system and initiates legislation to expand Quick Start’s mission to include existing industry.
• Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC) programs begin.

1993

• HOPE Scholarship program established.
• EAGLE Ambassadors for Literacy program started.
• State legislature approves funding for a full-time adult literacy teacher in each Georgia county.

1994

• DeKalb Technical Institute begins three-year phase-in to state governance.

1995

• First Annual Manufacturing Appreciation Week Awards held in Macon.
• Student-centered collaborative agreement signed with the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia.
• Georgia Postsecondary Education Collaborative Council begun.
• Partnership with Georgia Department of Corrections established.
• Certified Manufacturing Specialist (CMS) program developed.

1996

• Sandersville Regional Technical Institute opens.
• Certified Customer Service Specialist (CCSS) program developed.

1997

• Atlanta and Savannah Technical Institutes convert from local to state governance.
• Georgia Quality Workforce Business Alliance established.
• First Service Industry Academy (SIA) opens.
• Certified Construction Worker (CCW) program developed.

1998

• Georgia Virtual Technical Institute (GVTI) created.
• The Carl Vinson Institute of Government engaged to evaluate agency performance in order to guarantee quality. 1999
• Performance Accountability System (PAS) and Performance Accountability Review (PAR) replace Institutional Effectiveness System (IES) and Institutional Effectiveness Review (IER).
• Technical Institute Foundation Trustees Association (TIFTA) formed.
• Microsoft selects DTAE to host the national pilot for the Academic Professional Development Center.

2000

• Schools change names to technical colleges.
• Funding formula and expansion of HOPE grants initiated to accommodate record enrollment growth.
• U.S. Department of Education awards first grants to the Office of Adult Literacy for English Literacy/Civics and Citizenship Education Program.
• The Professional Development Center begins training DTAE instructors in certification programs for organizations such as Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Comptia, and Cisco.

2001

• Georgia Aviation Technical College opens.
• Certified Warehouse and Distribution Specialist (CWDS) program developed.
• Department of Technical and Adult Education chosen to be the regional provider of certified Microsoft training.
• Georgia voted No. 1 in U.S. for workforce development in survey by Expansion Management magazine, credited largely to Quick Start and Georgia’s system of technical colleges.

2002

• Gwinnett County Board of Education and the State Board of the DTAE agree to transfer governance of Gwinnett Technical College to the state system.
• DTAE partners with Profsoft and begins offering Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) training.