Georgia’s Veterans Education Career Transition Resource Center has received a $100,000 grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies.  Bloomberg Philanthropies works in 480 cities in more than 120 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization, which encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s charitable activities, focuses on five key areas: Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health.

The Georgia VECTR Center is an administrative unit of Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC) with a statewide mission to offer educational services and training programs to aid in the transition from service member to civilian.

Bloomberg Philanthropies’ gift will make it possible to expand workforce development training for military members, veterans, and their families at the VECTR Center. Students at VECTR have the opportunity to take advantage of accelerated training programs in high-demand careers such as Welding, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), and Commercial Truck Driving. This gift allows the College to equip a new lab to offer real-world training in logistics and warehousing to meet the ever-growing demands of this industry in the region and state.

Retired Air Force Colonel, Patricia Ross, serves as the chief operating officer for the VECTR Center, which serves as a one-stop for various services. In addition to education and training, the Center encompasses veteran and military support services such as Georgia Department of Veterans Service, Mission United, and others.

“Bloomberg Philanthropies is an international leader in education and workforce training and we are beyond excited to be one of the initiatives they support,” said Col. Ross. “This grant will ensure Georgia’s veterans have the opportunity to learn industry-specific skills and find meaningful employment specifically in logistics and warehousing.”

The Georgia VECTR Center is a statewide service center established in 2016 to offer Georgia families a place to assist with the transition from military to civilian life and offers assistance for those seeking education within the Technical College System and the University System of Georgia. Along with support services, military members can also have verified military work experience transcripted into credit toward a credential, making the career search faster and easier. VECTR staff members also offer job search assistance and, if necessary, connects veterans with resources to assist with basic needs such as housing and transportation.

“The VECTR Center has been recognized across the nation for its unique nature and the important services offered,” said Dr. Ivan Allen, president of Central Georgia Technical College. “Delegations from other states have visited to learn more and hopefully replicate the success of the Center. We are certainly grateful that Bloomberg Philanthropies has chosen to support the important work of the VECTR Center in training and educating our veteran and military families across the state.”

Currently, the Georgia VECTR center offers multiple onsite classes, serving more than 140 students over the past year. In addition, VECTR has provided over 29,000 military and veteran-related services at the Center.