Savannah Technical College – Liberty Campus recently expanded its facilities and areas of study to meet the needs of traditional students seeking viable careers and adult students making career changes to become more marketable in a competitive job market.  The college partners with local manufacturers; the Liberty County School System; universities such as Georgia Southern and Armstrong Atlantic State University; and government entities, such as the Liberty County Development Authority, to participate in growing the community’s workforce.
Savannah Tech offers dual-enrollment programs in aircraft technology, automotive technology, criminal justice, welding, culinary, manufacturing and cosmetology, along with ACCEL (college-level general core classes) at the Liberty County College and Career Academy and STC Liberty Campus.
STC information specialist Jonathan Sullivan said enrollment in the Liberty campus’ automotive-technology program surpassed that of the main STC campus in Savannah.
“It’s also really popular with veterans,” Sullivan said.
He added automotive technology and several of Savannah Tech’s other programs, such as early childhood care and education, require students to intern with area businesses. Sullivan said internships often lead to part- or full-time employment. He added that the college’s “state-of-the-art” equipment and labs offer students real-world experience.
Some of the newer programs began early this month, the start of spring semester at Savannah Tech.
STC began offering biology classes at Fort Stewart Army Education Center this semester, and its new fire-science programs prepare students for careers in fire and emergency services.
Welding is another new offering at Savannah Tech’s Liberty campus. According to college officials, the Department of Labor reported welders can earn an average salary of more than $35,000 a year. Top welders have the potential to earn as much as $54,000 annually, STC officials said.
Last year, the college opened its cosmetology and barbering suites at the Liberty campus.
Cosmetology classes are offered for dual-enrolled high-school students and Savannah Tech’s adult students. Dual-enrolled cosmetology students learn theory and practice on mannequins and each other, but only the adult students are permitted to work on actual clients, STC officials said.
“I absolutely love it,” cosmetology student Kayla Floyd said. Floyd was dual-enrolled when she was a student at the Liberty College and Career Academy, and now is enrolled fulltime at STC. She will graduate from the program in May.
The public can make appointments or walk into the STC hair salon for services from 9:30 a.m.-
1:30 p.m. or 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. The campus barber shop is open to the public from 8-9 a.m. Thursdays.
STC has articulation agreements in place with a number of four-year universities, so students can transfer credits from an associates program toward a bachelor’s degree. Armstrong signed an articulation agreement with Savannah Tech last year for the criminal-justice pathway.
Georgia Southern University and STC recently signed an articulation agreement for science logistics, according to Sullivan.
For information, go to savannahtech.edu or call 912-408-3024.