Recently, two nontraditional students in the Ogeechee Technical College (OTC) Electrical & Industrial Systems Technology program received a set of tools through federal Perkins funding to help jumpstart their career.
According to Perkins V law, a student pursuing a nontraditional field is identified as any student enrolled in a program of study that will lead to an occupation in which their gender makes up 25% or less of total workforce numbers. This is the case for two female students currently enrolled in the Electrical & Industrial Systems Technology program at OTC, which is a field historically occupied by males.
The two students, Charity and Arely, both of whom have family members in the business, said that their peers have been extremely helpful in the classroom.
“My dad owns his own electrical business, and I never saw myself walking in his shoes, but here I am now,” said Charity.
“Before starting classes I thought that all of the guys might treat us different, but once we started our classes, we realized that they were just like everyone else, they’ve helped us when we needed help and have been there when we had questions,” said Arely.
Charity and Arely were presented with the Perkins-funded gift packages by their instructor, Matthew Peacock.
The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, also known as Perkins V, is the primary federal funding source for career and technical education (CTE) programs in the US. It provides significant funds to districts and postsecondary institutions to support and enhance CTE programs. The state of Georgia allocates specific funding within their Perkins V programs to support non-traditional learners and address their unique needs.
