New Atlanta Tech program accelerates opportunities to employment

Atlanta Tech and Atlanta Workforce Development Agency launch program to help low-income residents earn GED, college credentials, and employment in eight months
 
 
(l-r) Robbie Howard and Averia Grogran
(l-r) Robbie Howard and Averia Grogran
ATLANTA - Oct. 17, 2013 - PRLog -- In a bold move to align and integrate   Adult Education (AE), Atlanta Technical College (ATC) and the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency have joined forces to launch the ATC Accelerating Connections to Employment (ACE) program. Through this new initiative, the 22 students enrolled in the first cohort will be able to work towards earning a GED and, at the same time, a technical certificate of credit in pharmacy technology at no cost to them. Their college tuition, fees, books, and supplies are covered through a grant from the US Department of Labor. Once the students have successfully completed the program and have passed the Certification Board Exam, they are guaranteed employment with the retailer CVS Pharmacy.

The ACE model is pioneering because it creates a seamless path from unemployment to self-sufficiency, giving participants access to employment opportunities that otherwise would not be available to them. It also provides sustainable human capital for industries experiencing a shortage of qualified workers. With the assistance of the US Department of Labor grant, the ACE program is being implemented and tested across nine sites in a four-state consortium.

“Without a GED and post-secondary education, many people are trapped in a cycle of dead-end jobs,” states Alvetta Peterman Thomas, president of ATC. “This program gives them the opportunity to overcome systematic barriers and build their capacity in a short amount of time.”

A college education was always on the agenda for Averia Grogan. She performed well in school and set lofty goals for her academic career. However, when she was 16 years old, her plans were derailed by the death of her grandmother, who had been the sole provider for Averia and her five siblings. Averia assumed the role of caregiver for her younger brothers and sisters, who ranged in age from one to six years. Without childcare and the resources for basic survival, she missed so many days of high school that the administrators withdrew her from the institution.

Over time, Averia managed to secure employment but could never advance because of her educational deficit. After years of hardship, she reached a breaking point and decided to change her life. She feverishly searched the internet for workforce development programs. One night she came across the City of Atlanta webpage and was instantly drawn to the announcement for the ACE program. The program provided the three things she desired most: assistance acquiring a GED, tuition-free education, and guaranteed job placement.

Therefore, at the age of 33, Averia returned to school to pursue her dream of a career in pharmacy. She explains, “I am so thankful for this opportunity. I have friends who are in their 40s and are still paying back their student loans. To be able to earn my GED and get a college education for free is a blessing.”

Averia’s hard work and dedication have already impressed her instructors. “Ms. Grogan is one of the most impressive students I have encountered in all of my years of teaching,” states Robbie Howard, pharmacy technology program director. “During the first week, she sought out and met with campus advisors to map out a plan to achieve her academic and career goals.” Upon completing the ATC ACE program, Averia intends to work for CVS Pharmacy and enroll in the pharmacy technology associate degree program at ATC. After graduation, she plans to pursue a doctor of pharmacy degree at Mercer University.

Like Averia, 29-year-old Jennifer Lilly discovered that quality employment was beyond her reach without an education. Although Jennifer did walk across the stage at her high school graduation ceremony in 2003, she did not pass a portion of the graduation test and therefore did not receive a diploma.

In the 10 years since she left high school, Jennifer has held a series of low-wage, low-skilled jobs. “I tried to get a good job, but you can’t do much without a GED and a college education,” she says. “I have two kids, and I want to do more to provide for them.”

Jennifer admits that her parents had to do quite a bit of arm twisting to get her to sign up for the ACE program. “Initially I was scared,” she says. “The thought of coming to a college campus to get a GED was intimidating. I thought people would judge me.” However, her viewpoint changed completely when she stepped on campus. “Everyone at Atlanta Tech has made me feel welcome. There is no stigma; we are treated as first-level pharmacy tech students.”

Jennifer was even impressed with the extent to which staff and administrators have gone to help the ACE students overcome the auxiliary barriers to their education. “Finding affordable childcare for my two-year-old has been a big obstacle for me, and I put off going back to school to take care of my child,” she says. “Atlanta Tech has an on-site childcare center that is safe, comfortable, and appealing. I have so much support here that I am now confident that I will be successful in this program.”

Quesha Gooch, age 21, was raised in one of Atlanta’s most impoverished neighborhoods. She also sees the ATC ACE program as an opportunity to improve her station in life. “Both me and my sister dropped out of high school,” she says. “Since then, life has been a constant struggle for our family. No matter how hard we tried, we could not earn enough money to move to a safe neighborhood and live comfortably.”

For the two to three years that followed their stint in high school, Quesha and her sister worked a series of low-paying jobs. Tired of being frustrated and undervalued, Quesha’s sister made a courageous decision a year ago that changed her outlook: She obtained her GED and completed the human resources program at ATC. “My sister’s achievements inspired me to go back to school,” explains Quesha. “When I saw what she accomplished in a short period of time, I knew that change was possible. I sought out help, and when the advisor at Atlanta Workforce Development told me about the ACE program, I jumped at the chance to change my future.”

“The ATC ACE program is a tangible step in addressing workforce development issues,” says Alvetta Peterman Thomas. “We are shifting the paradigm, working in a very intentional way to prepare individuals who have limited marketable skills to meet the needs of the industries that are suffering from worker shortages.”

Although the ATC ACE program started with the pharmacy technology tract, plans are already underway to replicate the program in the areas of medical coding and carpentry at the college. The initial goal is to place 100 individuals in career pathways that are stackable (i.e. certificate, Associates, Bachelors, Masters, PHD) and lead to stable, high-wage occupations.
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