Submitted PhotoWiregrass and Wild Adventures signed apprenticeship with three Wild Adventures employees. Bill Tillman, Wiregrass director of economic development; Wiregrass President Dr. Tina K. Anderson; Nicole West, Wiregrass executive director of departmental affairs; Michael Torres, Chris Longstreet and John Hall, Wild Adventures apprentices; Jon Vigue, Wild Adventures assistant general manager; Barrett Byers, Wild Adventures senior director of maintenance and zoological operations.

VALDOSTA — Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and Wild Adventures Theme Park have partnered in an apprenticeship program.

The program allows Wild Adventures employees to receive training through Wiregrass’ economic development program. 

“The apprenticeship program is a method of training individuals in a trade using a combination of on-the-job skills development and classroom/lab related instruction,” college officials said in a statement.

John Hall, Chris Longstreet and Micheal Torres are part of the custom-designed maintenance technician apprenticeship program at Wiregrass and Wild Adventures is providing positions as industrial maintenance mechanics, college officials said. 

The custom program was possible thanks to an American Apprenticeship Initiative grant that allows technical colleges such as Wiregrass to train workers in field. The funds are being used for apprenticeship enhancement opportunities related to 10 approved programs of study that are covered under the Georgia HOPE Career grant, college officials said. 

The AAI grant funding is being used to work with area businesses such as Wild Adventures to train current employees who register as apprentices through Wiregrass. The Wild Adventures apprentices will receive training in industrial maintenance by way of a non-credit, contract training agreement between Wiregrass Economic Development and Wild Adventures.

“The apprenticeship program has proven to benefit business and industry in recruiting, training and retaining highly skilled workers,” college officials said. “Partnering with the college in hiring students through the apprenticeship program has also shown a reduction in turnover costs, higher productivity and a more diverse workforce.”

If a business would like to learn more about the apprenticeship program, contact Nicole West, executive director of departmental affairs. She can be reached at nicole.west@wiregrass.edu, or by calling (229) 249-4837.