Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) recently celebrated the opening of its new South DeKalb Campus, located at 2460 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur, Georgia 30035, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and is planning a series of business development events at the new campus.
“This campus is located in an area that is desperately in need of access to adult education and higher education classes,” said Dr. Jabari Simama, President of Georgia Piedmont Technical College. “At full capacity, we expect to serve 3,000 students at this location. The economic impact of our presence will equate to approximately $1 million a year upon the surrounding area,” he concluded.
Enrollment and classes have begun at the new 50,000 square-foot facility. Georgia Piedmont is offering courses in Adult Education, GED preparation, and credit programs. Continuing education (non-credit) classes are also being offered at the new site.
Prior to the official opening, Georgia Piedmont Technical College hosted several “soft opening” preview nights for local business owners and members of the faith-based community. The college also hosted a reception for its faculty, staff and students a week before the official grand opening to give internal stakeholders an opportunity to tour the facility.
Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Deputy Commissioner Matt Arthur was on hand to stress the importance of the facility in terms of the system’s overall strategic vision. “At the Technical College System of Georgia, we’re focused on being a world leader in technical education and the opening of this facility will help get us there,” he said. “Georgia Piedmont’s expansion demonstrates how the technical college system is ready to meet the needs of local communities and of business and industry,” Arthur stated.
“Georgia Piedmont is on a great trajectory,” said TCSG Board Member Baoky Vu, who represents the 4th Congressional District on the statewide board. “The new campus includes a center for entrepreneurship and business development,” Vu said. “As someone who works for a small business, I know how important this type of support will be for those individuals who are trying to launch their own businesses.”
The Hon. Lee May, DeKalb County Interim CEO, also expressed his delight with the opening of the new facility. “As the son of a career educator — my mother was an educator for 35 years — I’m ecstatic about the possibilities that will arise from Georgia Piedmont’s presence here. This new campus will serve as an economic generator and will help rejuvenate the South DeKalb region. I applaud Dr. Simama’s vision and his efforts to get this campus open and operating,” he concluded.
This fall, the college plans to offer a series of lectures on how to create and operate a small business. Those lectures will be conducted by representatives from the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Development that is being housed at the new facility.
In February 2016, an eight-week small-business development program will be offered in the evenings at the South DeKalb campus. For more information, please visit www.gptc.edu or call 404-297-9522 x 1112.
Established in 1961, Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) is one of the top technical colleges in Georgia. As a student-centered institution, GPTC prepares individuals with the skills necessary to succeed in a rapidly changing, global economy. GPTC’s graduation rate is three times the average for two-year colleges in Georgia, and its graduates secure employment at a level resulting in a 98.4 percent rate. The college has 10 learning centers in DeKalb, Newton, Rockdale and Morgan counties.
