Atlanta - The 33 colleges of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), including Moultrie Technical College, put technical education’s “wow” factor on center stage for more than 400 state legislators and other dignitaries during the third annual Taste of the Technical Colleges.

The event was held on January 29 and filled the historic Atlanta Freight Depot across from the State Capitol. TCSG officials, college presidents, faculty members, college staff and students were on hand to talk to their VIP guests about the new age of technical education in Georgia.

The lawmakers saw program demonstrations from each college, including courses in in-demand fields like heath care, electronics, logistics, digital technology, and more. The best of technical education was on full display while the guests feasted on food prepared by the chefs and students from the 12 colleges with culinary arts programs.

Moultrie Tech’s Surgical Technology instructor Sherry King and three of her students, Theresa Bryant, Melissa Driskell and Ryan Lupo, from the college’s Tifton campus unveiled the program’s newest show piece – the METI SurgicalSIM VR.

Moultrie Technical College Surgical Technology program student Ryan Lupo, right, assists Georgia State Senator Joseph Carter of District 13 with the surgical simulation of a gallbladder removal at the ‘Taste of Technical Colleges’ event on January 29 th in Atlanta.

Legislators and state leaders tried their hands at Moultrie Tech’s revolutionary virtual-reality training tool which is found at no other technical college in Georgia and at only one other technical or community college in the nation. The surgical simulator has the ability to record the learner’s performance and offers immediate review and feedback for developing surgical skills.

“The guests at the event were amazed that our surgical technology students not only come away with such marketable skills in a high-demand field like allied health but also at the hands-on training they receive to put them in jobs in hospitals , physicians offices and clinics, and ambulatory surgical centers almost immediately following graduation from MTC,” said Jana Wiggins, Moultrie Tech’s director of marketing and public relations.

TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson said the event showcases for legislators the kind of learning opportunities that are attracting more people to the state’s technical colleges.

“Last year, our colleges educated more than 140,000 Georgia students and our enrollment is growing,” said Jackson. “The technical colleges’ exceptional level of training, and the in-demand, high-paying jobs that result, is a big reason why more students than ever are making a state technical college their first choice for a college education.”

MTC Surgical Technology students Theresa Bryant and Melissa Driskell with Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Ron Jackson	Pictured, left to right, are Georgia State Representative Ed Rynders of Worth County’s House District 152, Moultrie Tech president Tina Anderson, MTC Surgical Technology student Ryan Lupo, Georgia State Representative Jay Roberts of House District 154, and MTC Surgical Technology instructor Sherry King.
Georgia State Representative Richard Royal of Moultrie’s House District 171