Patty Hart, vice president of Economic Development at GNTC (left), and Leigh Ann Pettigrew, director of Student Success and campus manager of GNTC’s Whitfield Murray Campus, pose for a picture wearing personal protective equipment donated by J. J. Keller & Associates Inc.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College has received a major donation of personal protective equipment to help improve student safety and provide hands-on training with industry-standard gear.

J. J. Keller & Associates Inc. donated nearly 500 pieces of high-visibility clothing and PPE to the college, including gaiters, gloves, high-visibility jackets, masks, suspenders and vests.

GNTC officials say the donated items will be distributed to programs including Commercial Truck Driving, Electrical Lineworker, Welding and Joining Technology, and other areas where students train for hands-on careers.

Patty Hart, vice president of Economic Development at GNTC, said the college is grateful for J. J. Keller’s generosity. Hart said the company recently offered the PPE overstock to the college, allowing students to benefit from safety equipment used in real-world workplace settings.

The donation follows another contribution from J. J. Keller last year, when the company donated 32 copies of its “Entry-Level Driver Training Obtaining a CDL Student Manual” to GNTC’s Commercial Truck Driving – Class A program.

Joel Clark, director of product management at J. J. Keller, said the company’s goal is to keep people safe in the workplace. He said helping GNTC students practice safety during their training and carry those habits into their future jobs is especially rewarding.

J. J. Keller & Associates is a family-owned safety and compliance company founded in 1953. Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides workforce education across northwest Georgia through associate degree, diploma, certificate, adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start programs.