Albany Technical College announces a new opportunity for students starting in the fall of 2019. A new E-commerce Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree and a Fire and Emergency Services Occupation AAS degree will be added to the program offerings. These two programs will be included because it has been determined that there was a need in our community for these services.

E-commerce AAS degree is five terms in length and was designed for students who are interested in entry-level employment in the fields of Internet Marketing in business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. This degree program is a blend of business, management, marketing, and information technology courses. Individuals seeking initial employment in the electronic commerce field or already employed in a related area and seeking career advancement will benefit from this program.

Many programs are shifting to E-commerce as the brick and mortar environment is moving to more online. Online sales have increased tremendously. Thus, it would be beneficial for most businesses to shift to an online presence in addition to brick and mortar. With this shift, jobs are expected to increase in the following areas: advertising copywriter, e-commerce consultant, programmer, webmaster, web designer, market research analyst, e-commerce analyst, and a host of administration careers.

Fire and Emergency Services Occupation AAS degree is five terms in length and is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in the public safety areas of fire service and emergency medical services. Upon completion of the Fire and Emergency Services Occupation degree, students may be eligible for certification and/or licensure in the following areas: Firefighter I, Firefighter II, EMT, and AEMT. Note: criminal background checks and drug screens will be required for participation in clinical experiences.

Employment of firefighters is projected to grow 7 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Employment of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) is expected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much quicker than the average for all occupations.

“We are continuously looking at the needs of Southwest Georgia and to develop a curriculum that applies to the job needs of the local communities. Offering these new degrees only reinforces our commitment to employers and the economic development of the region,” stated Dr. Anthony Parker, President of Albany Technical College.

Both programs, E-commerce Associate of Applied Science (AAS) and Fire and Emergency Services Occupation AAS, will be included in Albany Technical College’s fall catalog of programs.