By State Representative Jay Neal (R) HD 1
For more than 40 years Northwestern Technical College has provided outstanding education opportunities for the students, businesses, and industries in Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, and Walker counties. I am proud of the college’s impact on our area.
From its inception as the Walker County Area Vocational-Technical School in 1966, to its transfer to the state technical college system as Walker County Institute in 1988, and through its name change to Northwestern Technical College in 1998, the college has continually transformed itself to meet the workforce needs of our region.
As the State Representative for part of the area served by Northwestern Tech, I know how vitally important the college has been to the economic development of our area. I also understand that Northwestern and its sister technical colleges throughout Georgia are experiencing an unprecedented demand to produce a highly trained, well-skilled 21st Century workforce. The skill of our workforce is essential if we are to be competitive in the challenging global economy
Rapid changes in the way we do business in the world marketplace, combined with new expectations of our state’s workforce, and the desire for the strong economic growth of our Northwest Georgia region, are reasons why we must support the next step in the transformation of Northwestern Tech. Merging the administrations of Northwestern Tech and Coosa Valley Tech and renaming the college Georgia Northwestern Technical College will be of great benefit for our students. Given the economic times we live in, it also makes very good business sense.
Early on the news of the mergers of the colleges’ administrations struck many, including me, by surprise. The lack of communication concerning this plan fostered an atmosphere of skepticism in the community and on the campus of Northwestern Tech. Many of us were wondering about the potential negative impact upon our campus and our community. That uncertainty prompted Sen. Mullis, Rep. Scott and me to dig deeper into the proposal. Commissioner Jackson came up and met with our entire Northwest GA Delegation of Legislators, and I attended a subsequent Board Meeting in Atlanta.
That additional information helped us understand that the state’s budget shortfall required the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) to shorten the timetable for release of the merger plan. The TCSG has formulated this merger and others like it around the state as part of a responsible budget reduction. It is designed to have minimal impact on our technical college students and keep instructors in the classroom despite a sharp downturn in the state’s economy.
Northwestern Tech, which is now Georgia’s 17th largest technical college, will join with Coosa Valley Tech to create the state’s fifth-largest technical college. The much larger and more influential college will provide our students with expanded educational programs, greater access to college resources and technology, and enhanced opportunities for career success.
It will no doubt provide a much improved learning experience for every student. That, above all else, is what should matter to anyone interested in this merger process.
Though there will no longer be a president on the Northwestern campus, the college will remain under the very capable leadership of Jeff King as the campus provost. Mr. King, a long-time resident of our area, and Dr. Craig McDaniel, who is President of Coosa Valley Tech, will lead the merged college and will work with a combined local board of directors to build the new college into an even stronger and more impressive education force throughout the Northwest Georgia region.
While Georgia and our nation face many challenges in the 21st Century economy, there are many opportunities as well. If we are to make those prospects become realities, and if we want our communities to remain strong and prosperous, we must do all we can to produce an even higher quality workforce in vital areas such as healthcare, logistics and transportation, and manufacturing. I’m confident that the merged technical college will produce the kind of outstanding graduates that will help lead us into a brighter economic future.
The merger of Northwestern Tech and Coosa Valley Tech is in the best interests of our region and the state. For Northwestern, it is the right step in the continued growth of a college that affords every student the education of a lifetime.
State Representative Jay Neal
House District 1
Parts of Catoosa and Walker Counties