By Gerri Miller
Elmore-Autauga News Staff Writer
Top Photo – From left: Autauga County Commission Chairman Jay Thompson, Prattville Chamber Board Chairman Annette Funderburk, Autauga County Board of Education District 3 Member Mark Hindman, ACBOE District 4 Member Jeffery Keith, Honorable Van Smith, Autauga County Schools Superintendent Tim Tidmore, ACBOE District 2 Member & Board Chairman Jim Manderson, Prattville City District 2 Councilman Marcus Jackson, ACBOE District 1 Member Elleanor Ballow, Prattville City District 1 Councilman Albert Striplin, ACTC Principal Brock Dunn, City of Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie, and Prattville Chamber President Patty VanderWal.
The expansion of the Autauga County Technology Center (ACTC) will be a big asset to students who live in the County because it will offer them more opportunities for dual enrollment in preparation for high-tech careers, Autauga County School Superintendent Timothy Tidmore said last week at the groundbreaking for the center.
A large crowd of city, county, community and ACTC officials participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the 18,290-square-foot expansion and the community open house that followed. There was also a Career Day for students at the center.
Career Day featured a variety of exhibitors, made up of local industries and businesses. These organizations highlighted company information and shared relevant skill sets for their career paths to the students.
Officials who gave remarks in the expansion ceremony included Annette Funderburk, Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce chairman, Jim Manderson, chairman of the Autauga County Board of Education, Tidmore, Brock Dunn, ACTC principal and Dr. Jimmy Hull, assistant superintendent of career technical education and workforce development. Also attending were Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie, Jr. and Autauga County Alabama Commission Chairman Jay Thompson.
Tidmore said the ACTC expansion will go hand-in-hand with more opportunities for dual enrollment at the new Central Alabama Community College. It is located at 1320 Old Ridge Road in Prattville. The site was previously East Memorial Christian Academy.
The Prattville Chamber hosted the groundbreaking in celebration of the expansion project for the ACTC, located at 1301 Upper Kingston Road in Prattville. This expansion project will create four new shops to be used for the ACTC’s fire science, engineering, welding and automotive programs. It is expected to be completed in about a year.
The ACTC provides a diverse curriculum designed to prepare students for entry into the workforce or for further study in the postsecondary setting. This institution offers courses that link school-based learning with career-related experiences.
ACTC Principal Brock Dunn said, “Our belief here on this campus is the fact that career and technical education is the foundation of our community. Being able to do this in a state-of-the-art facility is something these teachers are extremely excited about, and I know our students are as well.”
Thompson said, “It is exciting to see the addition to our technical center which will benefit our county’s school children as well as help develop our community’s workforce.”
Kristi Pieper, economic development project manager for the county, said the expansion will provide many opportunities for the county’s students as well as help create the workforce needed for the future.
“If industries coming to the area are to grow and expand, our employers must be able to build the type of workforce needed to make that happen,” she said.
Gillespie said that part of his job as Mayor is to always look for ways to improve the City’s economy and quality of life. “We all want a piece of the American dream,” he said. “This expansion is a step toward the future.”
Thirteen Career Tech Programs are now offered including AgriConstruction, Automotive, Business Management, Cosmetology, Education and Training, Electrical, Engineering, Family and Consumer Sciences, Finance, Fire Science, Health Science, Information Technology, and Welding.
Prattville Chamber President Patty VanderWal said, “The programs offered at the ACTC are preparing the workforce of tomorrow. We are excited to celebrate the expansion and greatly appreciate the efforts toward advancing education in Prattville and Autauga County.”
The mission of the ACTC is to provide students with the opportunity to obtain knowledge and skills that will enable them to become productive members of a changing technological society. To learn more about the ACTC, please visit autaugatech.com or call 334.361.0258.
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