LCDA ASKED TO HELP PUSH FOR NEW BUILDING AT STC CAMPUS

Liberty County Development Authority were asked for their help in adding on to the Liberty County Savannah Technical College campus.

But they weren't asked for funding - they were enlisted in pushing the General Assembly to back the Technical College System of Georgia budget that includes the money to build a 5,900 square foot precision manufacturing center at the current STC campus off Airport Road.

"This is our number one priority with the legislature this year," STC vice president for community and college relations Robert Grant told LCDA members Monday morning. "The fact is we've outgrown the space."

The projected cost of the precision manufacturing center is $4.845 million, and Liberty County already has pledged $500,000 in special purpose local option sales tax proceeds to the project.

"It is fully supported by the TCSG," Grant said. "The ask of y'all is to support it."

Manufacturing is growing in south Georgia and STC officials said the Liberty campus must expand to meet the workforce needs of current and future electric vehicle industry employers. Liberty County is home to 18 industrial companies now, employing more than 4,100 workers.

The current Rene Kemp Building at STC's Liberty campus has two industrial technology labs. One lab is dedicated to automotive technology, and it has had an increase enrollment with new electric vehicle production training. The other lab houses industrial systems, HVAC and precision machining and manufacturing. The lab is overcrowded, according to STC, and the equipment for precision machining and manufacturing has been dismantled in order to make room for the other programs' equipment.

Enrollment at the Liberty campus of STC is up, Grant said, increasing 2.74%. There were 824 students in the most recent semester, and the dual enrollment program with the Liberty County School System is a big factor, Grant pointed out. "Our campus is expanding," he said.

STC's enrollment across the board is rising, Grant said, going up 10% this past semester. STC is preparing to open its new culinary institute at 7 West Bay Street in Savannah, a $15 million project. STC's culinary program already is ranked among the top 10 in the nation, Grant added.

"This is a huge deal for us," he said. "It is a feather in our cap."

STC also finished a major expansion to its CDL pad at its Effingham campus, and Grant said STC would like to do the same thing at its Liberty facility. The Effingham expansion doubled the size of its CDL program in Effingham.

"It was a gamechanger for us," he said. "It was a big boost."

STC also is looking at a mobile welding unit, with spaces for training and the ability to do customized training. Grant also noted that 25% of STC's students are military-affected, meaning they are either active duty, veterans or dependents.

"We're very proud of that," he said.

COASTAL COURIER ARTICLE HERE