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Career Academy, ATC unveil life science wing
Published October 18, 2009
Monroe joined the burgeoning bioscience field recently with the opening of the new life science wing at the Walton Career Academy.
The wing — a joint project between the state, the WCA and Athens Technical College — will feature a biology lab, medical labs and training programs for paramedics and emergency medical technicians.
At the ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday, dignitaries from across the county and state were impressed with the finished product.
“This is the result of a very unique set of relationships,” said Mark Peevy, CEO of the academy. “There’s been tremendous local support for what we’re doing. The community has invested in what we’re doing.”
Ron Jackson, commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia, said the wing, and the entire career academy, was the next step in education for the state.
“This is what education of the future will look like,” Jackson said. “This initiative is important to the community, offering opportunities that are good for the students and good for Georgia.”
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who has pushed the need for career academies across the state, was the keynote speaker and said the new wing was a big step for the community.
“The Walton Career Academy is perfectly posed to play a strategic role in developing the workforce necessary to attract more life science and biotechnology companies to Georgia,” Cagle said. “The partnership between Walton Career Academy and Athens Technical College will allow students the unique and exciting opportunity to graduate prepared and ready to enter the workforce in a specific field.”
Cagle said the need for academies such as Walton’s was paramount.
“Eighty percent of the jobs of the future will need some technical training,” Cagle said. “We need to provide more technical training to our kids and provide a pathway to a career to every student. This is the future here. We’re changing lives.”
Kevin Little, chairman of the Walton County Board of Commissioners, said the new wing would be a big boost to business in the county.
“This new life science wing is what we need to bring these bioscience companies and the pharmaceutical industries here,” Little said. “We’ve narrowed the gap and providing what they want. It’s exciting.”
With the bioscience fields exploding throughout the state, Tom Kirby, chairman of the Walton Career Academy’s Board of Directors, said the wing would be a boon to all involved.
“This is just great,” Kirby said. “This is a tremendous opportunity for this community to bring in new industry, technology and more through this new wing.”
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