Gwinnett Tech Ranks 11th on List of Fastest-Growing Two-Year Colleges; 15 TCSG Colleges are on National List
Gwinnett Technical College is among the nation's fastest-growing two-year colleges, ranked 11th by Community College Week Magazine when compared to schools of similar size.
GTC serves over 22,000 students annually in credit, adult education and continuing education classes. Enrollment for Fall Quarter 2010 was 7,097. The college has now recorded 15 consecutive quarters – well over three years – of double-digit enrollment growth.
"The need for up-to-date, career-focused education and training has never been more relevant, and the recent economic challenges have certainly shown a spotlight on the value of technical education," says Sharon Bartels, president, Gwinnett Tech. "Increasing numbers of students – of all ages – are turning to Gwinnett Tech to provide them the knowledge and skills they need for our changing workforce, particularly in high-demand fields like healthcare and IT."
Enrollment throughout the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) has grown at a record pace over the last couple of years with the addition of tens of thousands of out-of-work and under-employed Georgians who are looking to learn new skills and retool for in-demand careers in today's highly competitive job market.
The surge in student enrollment has earned Gwinnett Tech and fourteen other TCSG colleges the distinction of being among the fastest-growing public two-year colleges in the nation. Community College Week Magazine, in its November 29, 2010 issue, used U.S. Department of Education data to analyze enrollment increases between fall 2008 and fall 2009 at 1,058 public two-year colleges. The magazine then broke the rankings down into four categories based on institutional size.
Gwinnett Tech and four other TCSG colleges ranked on the list of the 50 fastest-growing two-year colleges with enrollments of between 5,000 and 9,999 students. Athens Technical College was number eight, followed by Central Georgia Technical College (9th), Griffin Technical College, which is now Southern Crescent Technical College (10th), Gwinnett Technical College (11th) and Savannah Technical College (22nd).
There were eight TCSG colleges ranked among the two-year colleges serving 2,500 to 4,999 students, and that was twice as many as the next state, North Carolina, which placed four colleges in the top 50. Valdosta Technical College (which is now Wiregrass Georgia Technical College) earned the honor as being the fastest-growing college in the nation among colleges with enrollments of equal size. Atlanta Technical College was third on that list, followed by North Georgia Technical College (4th), Albany Technical College (8th), Lanier Technical College (15th), South Georgia Technical College (18th), Middle Georgia Technical College (23rd) and DeKalb Technical College (47th).
Among colleges with enrollments of less than 2,500 students, the TCSG's Sandersville Technical College was ranked as the sixteenth fastest-growing two-year college, and Ogeechee Technical College was twenty-third.
"It's a strong statement that more than half of Georgia's technical colleges were ranked among the nation's fastest growing public two-year colleges. It reflects the increasingly important role that the TCSG has in the futures of nearly 200,000 Georgians who will attend our colleges this year and the many more who will follow. Our TCSG colleges are devoted to ensuring that their graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge that will make them a vital part of our state's 21st Century workforce," said TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson.
Jackson added that cost and quality are reasons why the demand for a TCSG education should remain strong. "The TCSG colleges will continue to grow and serve record numbers of students of every age, all taking advantage of affordable TCSG tuition, easy access to our campuses and great instructors who open the doors to a vast array of programs and world-class training. It's college that works," he said.
To access the Community College Week Magazine rankings online, go to http://www.ccweek.com/news/articlefiles/2198-CCW112910-AllPages3.pdf
GTC offers more than 45 degree, diploma and certificate program options that you can finish in two years or less. For more information on all programs, visit www.GwinnettTech.edu or call 770-962-7580.
Get the latest news about Gwinnett Tech: http://www.gwinnetttech.edu/news
|
