Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) is pleased to announce that Albany Technical College in Albany, GA has been awarded $219,204 from the National Science Foundation. The award will be used to address the growing demand for skilled technicians and a diversified labor force. It will support paid internships and real-world training to educate and train students and fill high demand technical positions.
 
This project, entitled Skilled Technical Education & Experiential Learning, will be carried out under the direction of Chase Mumford, Chair/Instructor of Electromechanical Engineering Technology at Albany Technical College. The award starts October 1, 2018. Working with industry partners, Albany Technical College aims to educate students to meet the demands of industry partners for highly skilled employees. Industry will assist faculty in placing students in internships and in evaluating student projects. Project-Based Learning and paid internships will be integrated into three engineering technology programs: 1) Civil Engineering Technology; 2) Electrical and Computer Technology (Telecommunications); and 3) Electromechanical Engineering Technology.
 
“This grant award by the National Science Foundation will help Albany Technical College train students and create a pipeline for quality employment opportunities,” said Congressman Bishop. “Hands-on experience is vital in today’s economy and this project will provide just that to students looking to improve their skills and find good jobs. I thank both Albany Tech and the National Science Foundation for their dedication to our students and to Middle and Southwest Georgia.”
 
Originally established in 1961, Albany Technical College is a public two-year institution dedicated to promoting self-sufficiency, economic development, and community growth and sustainability. Albany Tech is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and has over 3,000 full-time students and 2,500 students enrolled part-time and in seminars, continuing education, and other training programs.
 
Established by Congress in 1950, NSF provides grants, contracts and cooperative agreements to fund research and education in the science and engineering fields. NSF funding accounts for around 20% of federal funding to academic institutions.