Fast Facts

 

SWGTC offers Training for Three of the Nation's Hottest Careers

  

       

Medical assisting student Sonja Hancock takes blood pressure of fellow student Summer Koontz

 

 

The current unemployment rate in Georgia stands at 10%, which is higher than the national average of 9.6%. While the jobless rate statistics are dismal, there is some good news for job seekers and Southwest Georgia Technical College (SWGTC) is part of it.

 

The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has compiled a list of occupations that should experience an increase in job openings now through the year 2018. Making the list were registered nurses, medical assistants, and clinical laboratory technicians. SWGTC offers training in all of these areas and that is good news for local job seekers.

 

“Technical education is a smart choice for individuals who want to enter the workforce as soon as possible, attend class locally, and be able to land a job within their chosen field. It is also a good choice for those seeking a career change and want jobs with great earning potential,” said Dr. Annie McElroy, Vice President for Academic Affairs.  “It is exciting for us to see that some of our programs have such bright outlooks for future employment for our graduates.”

 

According to the USDOL, job opportunities for medical assistants will soar 34% through 2018, making it one the fastest growing careers in the country. SWGTC’s Medical Assisting program is a six quarter degree program that trains the student for administrative and clinical duties, primarily in physicians’ offices or clinics.

 

Clinical skills for medical assisting include taking vital signs, obtaining medical histories, performing basic lab tests, sterilizing instruments, administering medications, and assisting the physician. Administrative skills include answering phones, scheduling appointments, transcription, filing medical and insurance reports, and arranging for hospital admissions and laboratory services. A five quarter diploma program in medical assisting is also offered.

 

A growth rate of 14% is expected in the field of clinical laboratory technology with a jump in the number of technologists positions from 172,400 in 2008 to 193,000 by 2018. Hospitals are the leading employer of clinical laboratory workers, but there are also positions available in medical and diagnostic laboratories, physician’s offices, and ambulatory health care services. This means flexibility in job settings for those trained in this field.

 

Clinical Laboratory Technology is an 8 quarter associate of applied science degree program. Students learn to perform clinical laboratory procedures under the supervision of a qualified pathologist and/or clinical laboratory scientist. Classroom training is integrated with clinical experiences under the medical direction of cooperating hospitals. Graduation from this program allows students to take national certification exams which are necessary for clinical employment.

This program is accredited by the National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.  

The area registered nursing, which requires an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) continue to be in high demand across the country. In some parts of the country, the demand far outweighs the supply of registered nurses (RNs). RNs make up the largest health care occupation in the U.S. with some 2.6 million jobs. Remarkably, the number is predicted to jump by 22% to 3.2 million jobs for RNs in 2018.

 

The ADN nursing program at SWGTC accepts the challenge to respond to societal health care needs by offering two options leading to the associate degree in nursing: the Generic Option and an LPN-ADN Bridge Option. The ADN program is designed to prepare students as entry-level practitioners to provide safe, effective nursing care and promote healthy transitions for culturally diverse clients in a variety of settings.

 

 “This program develops critical thinking, integrates accumulated knowledge from nursing, the sciences and humanities, and emphasizes the values of caring, accountability, responsibility and professional ethics,” said Dr. McElroy.

 

The ADN program at SWGTC has been granted approval by the Georgia Board of Nursing and is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

 

 “Nursing is always going to be a good career choice,” said Dr. McElroy. “The demand for registered nurses in our area equates to strong job availability.”

 

“SWGTC is a great resource for those who are looking for a job or a career change,” said Dr. McElroy, “Last year our College placed 94% of our graduates in their chosen field of study, and we are very proud of the fact that our graduates are having such great success even during these tough economic times.”

 

“We are seeing a lot of displaced workers who need training for the jobs that are currently available, and they need to obtain those skills as quickly as possible. Our technical certificates of credit, diploma programs, and associate degree programs allow our students to re-enter the workforce within a very short period of time,” said Dr. McElroy.

 

More information on the programs of study offered at SWGTC may be obtained by calling 225-4096 or by logging onto to www.southwestgatech.edu.