Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Automation Technology program is helping prepare students for careers in the energy industry, including opportunities with Georgia Power.

The partnership between GNTC and Georgia Power is providing a pathway for students to take the technical skills and hands-on experience gained in the classroom directly into the workplace.

“Georgia Power values GNTC students for their strong technical training and hands-on experience. Through our partnership with GNTC, we’ve seen students arrive well prepared to contribute from day one,” Georgia Power spokesperson Amanda Sowells said.

The relationship extends beyond GNTC’s Automation Technology program. Sowells said Georgia Power also works closely with the college’s Electrical Lineworker program, which prepares students for careers maintaining and supporting the electrical grid.

“We also work closely with GNTC’s Electrical Lineworker program, which consistently produces highly skilled candidates for positions across our company,” Sowells said.

GNTC Automation Technology instructor Cesar Cornejo Lopez and Automation Technology student Lathe Spivey are among several Southern Company employees with connections to the technical college who work at Georgia Power’s Plant Bowen in Euharlee.

Plant Bowen is a major Georgia Power generating facility located in Bartow County.

Automation technology has become increasingly important in modern manufacturing, utilities and other industrial operations. Students in the field develop skills involving automated systems, industrial controls and other technologies used to operate and maintain sophisticated equipment.

The connection between GNTC and Georgia Power illustrates how technical education can provide students with a direct pathway into skilled careers while also helping major employers find workers with the training needed for today’s increasingly technology-driven workplaces.

For students such as Spivey, that means the skills learned through GNTC can be applied while gaining real-world experience with one of Georgia’s largest energy companies.

GNTC serves a nine-county area of Northwest Georgia and provides technical education, workforce development and career training through multiple campuses across the region.