Wiregrass Georgia Technical College receives $1M grant to tackle labor shortage

• The Lowe’s Foundation awarded $1 million to Wiregrass Georgia Technical College to support skilled trades education.
• The grant will fund a 53-foot construction trailer and hire an instructor to train over 800 students in residential and commercial trades.
• Watch the video to hear how this will help 800 students in two years.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT

Addressing a skilled labor shortage in South Georgia...

"You can easily see there's a shortage of construction workers."

I'm Malia Thomas, your neighborhood reporter in Valdosta.

I'm visiting Wiregrass Georgia Technical College where neighbors can expect new opportunities for career growth.

"I know the difference that education can make."

April McDuffie has lived in the region for most of her life and has a passion for educating her fellow South Georgians.

"Coming from parents that were GED graduates so my father eventually got his bachelors degree."

Her efforts to make a difference in education and industry have led to a long and storied history at Wiregrass.

"I've been at the college since 1997. I started as a business instructor. From there. I was the first online, fully online instructor in the state of Georgia."

Now, as executive VP of academic affairs, she's happy to usher in a new way to develop the workforce: a $1 million grant that provides educational training in trades.

She tells me with the labor shortage, industries like HVAC are especially in need.

"Have you been outside? Haha. It is very important here. If you're air conditioning or your plumbing goes out at your home, you immediately call somebody to repair it."

The Lowe's Foundation's grant will be funding a 53-foot construction trailer and hire an instructor to get students ready for the workforce.

This is part of Lowe's Foundation's $50 million, 5-year plan to train 50,000 skilled workers.

"There's a shortage. We gotta fix that."

Deanna Clements, Wiregrass President, tells me she and the board HOPE that by bringing the training to students, they can add over 800 of them to the workforce in the next two years.

"South Georgia is important and we want to make sure that we are providing the workforce that's needed to attract businesses and also support the business and industry that we have here in South Georgia."

Which April tells me has also helps with local transportation issues act the trailer will act as a...

"...key to unlock that door, because now we're no longer confined to our building, we can go elsewhere."

Wiregrass is currently accepting new students for Fall Semester, classes start on August 12.

In Valdosta, I'm Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.