Tomorrow, July 1, Valdosta Technical College will officially merge with East Central Technical College in Fitzgerald to become Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.

The school will continue its tradition of assisting students receive a quality education that will prepare them for the workforce while expanding opportunities through the merger. Wiregrass Georgia will serve a combined student population of 7,200 students on four campuses in 11 counties in South Georgia.

The merger and name change are not new events in the history of Val Tech.

The school opened its doors in 1963 under an agreement between the city and county school systems. Known then as Valdosta Area Vocational Technical School, it became Valdosta Technical College in 2000.

The school’s mission has changed and grown over the last 47 years to include workforce development, continuing education, adult education, and more than 135 technical certificates, diploma and degree programs. The school has long been a part of the community and has helped thousands of graduates obtain jobs in their career fields.

The mission of the school will not change tomorrow, but the size and scope of its programs will. With more choices for students and more opportunities, the new Wiregrass Georgia Technical College will be a flagship school in the region and one which will serve all the area’s communities by providing the work force of tomorrow.