Georgia-Pacific’s partnership with Angelina College continues to assist AC in developing both talent and opportunities for future and current employees through the East Texas area.
Last week, GP’s Charitable Foundation continued its generosity by donating another $10,000 to AC’s Technology and Workforce Development Center. Those funds will provide equipment and training for maintenance technicians in AC’s Technology and Workforce Development Center.
The training and education received through AC’s programs have helped trainees advance in their current employment situations and in future career choices. Georgia Pacific officials have explained that AC has helped prepare “ready-made employees” who are fully prepared to begin working in various manufacturing positions.
The partnership also helps cultivate home-grown talent, which aids the entire community in what GP officials have called a “highly competitive work environment.”
In 2019, GP’s donation led to the purchase of such key items as electrical cabinets for motor control projects, but the pandemic and subsequent campus shutdowns delayed implementation, according to AC Technology instructor David Turbeville. This year, Turbeville said, the funds provided will allow the purchase of material handling equipment “to provide a realistic learning environment which will be tied in with the motor control and programmable logic controller systems.”
“Our students are benefiting from the use of standard industrial equipment and from having a system which can be modified and rewired as needed,” Turbeville said.
AC president Dr. Michael Simon lauded the continued support from area industries.
“I’m thankful for the ongoing support from Georgia Pacific,” Simon said. “The AC team works diligently to meet the workforce development needs of regional employees such as GP. We’re happy to be on a ‘winning team’ with GP.”
