From staff reports

Enrollment numbers are up sharply at West Georgia Technical College in LaGrange.

The college had a total enrollment of 1,750 for winter quarter, an increase of 4.4 percent from a year ago.

“Students across our service area recognize that West Georgia Technical College offers them the opportunity to learn practical skills that enhance their marketability in this tight job market,” Acting President Perrin Alford said.

The numbers follow a trend throughout the Technical College System of Georgia.

Among age groups statewide, there was a 7 percent increase in students under 21. The largest enrollment growth – 12 percent – was among students between 21 and 35, and there was an 8 percent increase in those 36 and above.

Many students are enrolling because their jobs or work prospects were hit hard by the economic slowdown.

“Today’s students want college programs that can fast track them into the workforce, and attending [a technical college] means that they can reach their goal in two years or less,” said technical college system Commissioner Ron Jackson. “Students like the small classes, hands-on training and individualized instructor attention that our colleges offer. Best of all, the affordable tuition and access to grant money means our students are not burdened by having to repay a substantial college loan.”

The average annual tuition is $1,728, but the actual out-of-pocket expense is usually much less because of Georgia’s HOPE grant and the federal Pell grant.

Georgia’s technical colleges offer more than 600 programs that lead to certificates of credit, diplomas and associate degrees. The largest enrollment is in healthcare, which has almost one-third of all students.