Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) has awarded approximately 1,200 certificates through the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), an organization established to train and educate future skilled workers for productive careers.

Last fall, GNTC was named the first NC3 Leadership School in the State of Georgia.

“Becoming an NC3 Leadership School provides GNTC with the opportunity to provide nationally recognized certifications to our students, making them ready for the workforce,” Dr. Elizabeth Anderson, vice president of Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness at GNTC, said. “Not only are our students completing a program to enter a high-demand career, but in specific programs, students are also being provided with the opportunity to obtain a nationally recognized industry certification.”

GNTC also boasts having three of NC3’s 55 Master Instructors on its faculty: Jon Byrd, executive director of Aviation at GNTC and Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) state aviation advisor; Scottie Carter, program director, assistant dean and instructor of Electrical Systems Technology at GNTC; and Zachary Fager, program director and instructor of Aviation Maintenance Technology. NC3 awards the Master Instructor title to individuals who are experts in their respective fields, serve as mentors and guides, and champion NC3’s global network of education and industry leaders, according to NC3.

Eleven additional current GNTC faculty members have NC3 certifications. They are Salvador Arreguin, program director and instructor of Diesel Equipment Technology; William Bannister, instructor of Aviation Maintenance Technology; Cody Holloway, instructor of Industrial Technology; Pete Lute, program director and instructor of Automotive Technology; Philip Moore, instructor of Aviation Maintenance Technology; Eric Nelson, instructor of Aviation Maintenance Technology; Will Peranteau, instructor of Industrial Systems Technology; Wesley Runyon, Instructor of Industrial Systems Technology; Bill Scoggin, instructor of Industrial Systems Technology; Dick Tanner, program director and instructor of Instrumentation and Controls; and Kevin Van Der Horn, instructor of Industrial Systems Technology Dual Enrollment.

“There are lots of opportunities as a Leadership School to enhance our instructors’ skillsets and pass that knowledge on to our students,” Byrd said. “Leadership School status provides industry networking connections since major industry partners have a direct pipeline to the curriculum used in the certification kits, lectures and projects.”

“Being an NC3 Leadership School opens the doors for GNTC not only to lead by example in the State of Georgia, but also gives our students an advantage in their chosen career fields and opens up opportunities for NC3, secondary and post-secondary administrators and faculty to visit our campuses during NC3 national events,” Byrd explained.

Leadership Schools can host NC3 Train-the-Trainer events, for example, which attract industry executives for networking and recruiting students, Byrd said.

GNTC currently offers NC3 certifications through Daniels Manufacturing Corporation (DMC), Greenlee, RIDGID, Snap-on and Starrett and is working to add FESTO.

GNTC offers more than 30 NC3 certifications, and some of the certification kits have multiple certifications within that area/skill set. For example, Snap-On and Starrett’s Precision Measuring Instruments’ kit has six different certifications associated with it; Snap-On’s Mechanical and Electronic Torque certification kit offers up to five certifications; the Hand Tool ID and Safety kit has five certifications associated with it, Anderson said, adding that Introduction to Electricity and Electronics, Multimeter, Precision Electrical Termination and Structural Sheet Metal Assembly are all single-certification kits.

“For my program, certifications have always been a supplement to the curriculum students are already learning,” Carter said. “They provide a sense of accomplishment throughout the semester and give students something to be proud of.”

Some students have shared that their families celebrate or have a special dinner when they receive their certificate, Carter said.

“These certifications not only instill pride and accomplishment, but also boost students’ confidence in their ability to succeed in the electrical field,” Carter said. “Employers are often impressed with the knowledge they gain.”

Carter said he is pleased with GNTC’s partnership with NC3 and their corporate sponsors, and he hopes that these industry credentials set his students apart and put them ahead in their career path.

GNTC is also taking a lead role and demonstrating to other educational institutions how to leverage industry partnerships and optimize industry-recognized credentials to develop opportunities for students. Anderson, Byrd, Fager and Jennifer Loudermilk, associate vice president of Academic Affairs at GNTC, presented “Optimizing Partnerships and Making a Difference for Students” at the NC3 Annual Leadership Summit on July 23-25 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

NC3 certifications can be used across various career and technical education (CTE) program areas including aviation, construction science and energy efficiency, digital literacy, health and safety, horticulture, manufacturing, transportation and welding. NC3 certifications also include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs.

According to NC3, “the NC3 certification or ‘stamp of approval’ is nationally recognized as the standard for certifications and workforce development.” NC3’s global memberships include secondary and post-secondary institutions, as well as business and industry members. NC3 has supported 330,000 students and completed more than 607,000 industry-driven stackable certifications.

Certifications can be used in workforce development and training, as well as fast track training. NC3 stackable certifications are designed to integrate into an existing technical program, stand-alone and/or be utilized for workforce development training, according to NC3. Students are introduced to kinesthetic learning opportunities and industry-valued competencies while they learn relevant job-ready skills.

Certiport, Copeland, Daniels Manufacturing Corporation, Dremel, Festo, Greenlee, Kubota Tractor Corp., Lincoln Electric, Palmer Hamilton, RIDGID, Snap-on Inc., L.S. Starrett Co., Swift, Test Products International Inc., 3M, Thermo King, Tormach and Trane are global industry partners partnering with NC3.

The organization also partners with the American Association of Community Colleges; American Technical Education Association; Association for Career and Technical Education; Aspen Institute; Federal Aviation Administration; Manufacturing Skill Standards Council; National Association of Manufacturers; National Association of Workforce Boards; National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers; National Rural Education Association; Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation; SkillsUSA; SME Education Foundation; TechForce Foundation and US FabLab Network.

NC3 was established to help build a workforce prepared to meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s industries by connecting employers and educational institutions in synergistic partnerships that foster effective training, elevation of skilled careers, and employment opportunities. In fulfilling its mission, NC3 builds deep industry-educational partnerships and develops, implements and sustains industry-recognized portable certifications built on national skills standards.