South Georgia Technical College Celebrating 75 Years of Success

“South Georgia Technical College is Georgia’s oldest aviation maintenance educational training facility and one of the oldest in North America,” said SGTC president Dr. John Watford. “Our college is celebrating its 75th anniversary, and aviation maintenance was one the original programs offered beginning in 1948. Over the past seven and a half decades, the college has graduated exceptional aviation maintenance technicians, including state and national SkillsUSA winners.”

In addition to the outstanding aviation maintenance technology program, SGTC has been ranked as the top community college in Georgia for the past four years by two different agencies. SGTC offers students the “complete college experience,” with nationally ranked academics, student activities, and intercollegiate athletics. SGTC is one of only two technical colleges in Georgia with on-campus housing and a full cafeteria.

 SGTC boasts a 100 percent job placement rate for graduates, including the aviation maintenance technology, avionics technology, and aircraft structural technology programs. The aviation maintenance programs can be completed in four to six semesters. Financial aid is available, including the HOPE Grant, HOPE Career Grant, and the Federal Pell Grant. SGTC is also an FAA-approved training and testing site. All SGTC aviation maintenance students receive the opportunity to take the FAA Airframe and Powerplant license exams upon graduation. SGTC aviation maintenance graduates are eligible to work anywhere in the United States with those licenses.

South Georgia Technical College aviation graduates are employed by Gulfstream Aerospace, Robins Air Force Base, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, Thrush Aircraft, Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, Cessna, Maule Air, and other companies.

The SGTC aviation maintenance program classes are conducted in the 42,000-square-foot Griffin B. Bell Aerospace Center with five full-time instructors. Victoria Herron, an SGTC aviation maintenance technician graduate with more than 20 years of experience in education and the industry, serves as the lead instructor and department chair for the program.

New students are accepted in fall and spring semesters.

Beginning in fall 2023, the HOPE Grant will pay 100 percent of tuition costs for eligible Georgia residents. And since the aviation maintenance programs are classified as HOPE Career Grant programs (High Demand Industry), full-time students will receive an extra $500 to cover the cost of fees ($391). On-campus housing is available for $3,000 per semester for a double-occupancy room with a private bath. That fee includes 19 meals per week, Wi-Fi, and cable TV.

The cost of attendance at SGTC before financial aid is $100 per credit hour ($200 for out-of-state students), plus $391 in fees.  The college waives out-of-state fees for military families. Aviation maintenance students sign up for 15 to 18 hours per semester. SGTC only charges tuition for up to 15 credit hours per semester. Students who qualify for the HOPE Grant, HOPE Career Grant, or receive the full federal Pell Grant can attend at no personal cost as long as they maintain a 2.0 GPA. The college does not accept Stafford Loans, so students graduate debt-free.

In addition to the aviation programs, SGTC offers a number of other transportation-related programs, such as electric power generation, heavy equipment/diesel technology, commercial truck driving, high-performance engines/motorsports, automotive technology, and auto collision and repair. Other programs available include: welding and joining technology, drafting, precision machining and manufacturing, industrial electrical, electrical lineworker, industrial systems, and a wide array of business-related and medical programs. 

SGTC serves as the Southeastern Caterpillar Dealers College of Technology and the John Deere Agriculture Technology training facilities for the Southeastern U.S. Students in these two-year programs receive on-campus education and practical work experience from their sponsoring dealers, resulting in an associate degree.

For more information or to apply, visit the South Georgia Technical College website at www.southgatech.edu and click on “Apply Now.”

SGTC admissions director Candie Walters can be reached at cwalters@southgatech.edu or 229-931-2299. Herron can be reached at vherron@southgatech.edu or 229-931-2584. For other inquiries, text or email sgtc411@southgatech.edu