Pictured Left to Right: student Maria Talavera, SRTC Instructor Karla Wiley, student Nora Ahmed, and student Manuel Marquez
Education at Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) is continually evolving in credit and non-credit areas of instruction. The Adult Education / GED program is one of many award-winning programs area residents have the opportunity to take advantage of at no cost to them.
Our Adult Education Program is designed for those individuals who need assistance with basic academic skills. Flexible programs with non-traditional classroom hours are offered so that we can meet the needs of almost anyone’s schedule. Our services include instruction in basic skills, GED preparation and testing, COMPASS test preparation, and the English as a Second Language program. Classes are available at no charge to adults and are held in Colquitt, Grady, Mitchell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, and Worth counties.
Additionally, several SRTC locations offer English as a Second Language (ESL) services to better serve non-English speaking students in the area that play a vital role in our communities. Through a partnership with Literacy Volunteers of Tifton – Tift County, SRTC has been able to reach numerous individuals that otherwise would not have had the opportunity to participate in the program. The Literacy Volunteers group provides an avenue of education for adults and out of school youth to gain basic literacy skills and GED diplomas. They sponsor English classes, provide GED test fee scholarships, and help promote literacy in the county. The group partners with SRTC to assist students that may have entrance difficulties under the traditional requirements.
“Southern Regional Technical College and Literacy Volunteers of Tifton-Tift County work collaboratively to serve the non-English speaking population of Tift County. The programs provide assistance in learning to read and write in English as well as speak conversationally. Students also receive help in preparation for becoming a U.S. citizen. It is wonderful to have the Literacy Volunteer program as an option for students that the college is unable to serve. We have students from China, Vietnam, Mexico, Egypt, and Africa currently attending the program. Once students test out of the ESL program, they are able to enter our Adult Basic Education classes and begin preparing for the GED® exam,” commented Melissa Burtle, SRTC Director of Adult Education.
Working with a non-English speaking population to prepare for a test that is written entirely in English can be a daunting task, but the instructors at SRTC are focused on small victories en route to the end-result.
“Teaching ESL is challenging, but the rewards are great. When working with students to speak, read, write, and understand English we get frustrated, we struggle, and we celebrate our success together. In class we create a collaborative environment where we support each other. The class is provided with one to one instruction, class discussion, and computer based learning to meet the needs of all students’ learning styles and levels” stated SRTC Adult Education Instructor Karla Wiley.
Legal Residents of Georgia who earned a GED Diploma awarded by the Technical College System of Georgia, Office of Adult Education after June 30, 1993 may receive a one-time $500 HOPE award. This award can be used toward tuition, books, and other educational costs at an eligible public or private college, university, or technical college in a degree, diploma, or certificate program.
For more information about the Adult Education program at SRTC, please contact one of the following locations: Thomasville (229) 225-5292, Cairo (229) 378-2909, Camilla (229) 522-3641, Moultrie (229) 217-4181, Ashburn (229) 567-8781, Sylvester (229) 777-2177, or Tifton (229) 391-2615.
SRTC offers over 155 degree, diploma, and certificate programs that are designed to get you quickly into your desired career, and 27 general education courses that transfer to the University System of Georgia institutions and 19 private colleges and universities in Georgia. SRTC has instructional sites located in Ashburn, Cairo, Camilla, Moultrie, Thomasville, Tifton, and Sylvester for the convenience of our students. The College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. For the most up-to-date information on registration, class dates, and program offerings, log on to www.southernregional.edu.
Spring semester 2016 begins January 5th. Don’t wait, enroll today!