Central Georgia Technical College and Interfor, a large-scale, high-quality woods product company with operations around the globe, have formed a partnership to expand educational opportunities that promote workforce development for students from across the nation. Company and college leaders formally signed the agreement recently which will allow participants to earn an associate degree by combining training and learning at Interfor with classroom learning at CGTC. 

“This partnership is about getting our students on the fast track to support industry, but also to help the student pursue the life they want and making the entire process as affordable as possible,” said Dr. Ivan Allen, president of CGTC. “This partnership allows us to streamline education and industry training and I'm very proud that together, we can support these Interfor employees in their educational and career growth.”  

Through this partnership, students who have completed Interfor’s Millwright Apprenticeship Program and have met the admission requirements for CGTC will earn college credit for their training and related work experience through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). The PLA process will allow for a block transfer of credit for competencies learned in the apprenticeship program toward an Associate of Science in Technical Studies. 

“Our company invested in this internal training program and we’re proud that we did,” said Bruce Luxmoore, senior vice president for Southern Operations with Interfor. “The group that built this program were visionary in their approach and it’s been more successful than we expected. Now, in partnering with CGTC, our employees will be able to earn a degree by combining the training we provide with just five more courses at the College.” 

The Millwright Apprenticeship Program is recognized and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. Students can earn up to 45 college credit hours for training at Interfor, which equates to nearly one and a half years of full-time college. At completion of the apprenticeship program, the student will enroll at CGTC for the remaining five general education courses at CGTC and earn 15 degree-level credit hours at the cost of $100 per credit hour for completion of the degree.  This agreement hopes to minimize training duplication between classroom instruction and the apprenticeship and costs for students.  

CGTC is an access institution focused on workforce development that is affordable and attainable. Most degree-level coursework is transferrable for students who wish to pursue a four-year credential. Additionally, the CGTC partners with multiple four-year institutions worldwide for articulation agreements that provide educational pathways for students. CGTC also offers short-term training in high-demand, essential career programs at little to no out-of-pocket costs for students. To learn more, visit www.centralgatech.edu.