Commissioner: Homer Bryson

Director of Public Affairs: Joan Heath

Seven offenders receive Technician certifications

FORSYTH, Ga. – On June 17, seven offenders from the inaugural Diesel Mechanics program class graduated and received a Diesel Truck Maintenance Technician certificate at Telfair State Prison. All graduates of the program received certification through Central Georgia Technical College.

“This is another milestone in our agency’s history,” said Commissioner Bryson. “I am truly proud of these men for working so hard to obtain this certification and for setting an example for future graduates of this program.”

The Diesel Mechanics Program began in 2015 at Telfair State Prison. This program is a collaborative effort between Central Georgia Technical College and the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC). This is a 44-week course, where participants receive hands on training to prepare for careers in the diesel maintenance field. Participants must be at least 16 years of age, have a high school diploma or GED, and must have a TABE test score of 8.0, to be considered for the program. When students graduate from the program they will receive 25 credit hours, which will afford them with a certification as a Diesel Truck Maintenance Technician. Credit hours may be transferred to any technical college within the Technical College System of Georgia, once an offender is released.

“This may not be one of our biggest graduations, but it is one of our most important,” said Assistant Commissioner of Inmate Services Dr. L.C. ‘Buster’ Evans. “We look forward to our continued expansion of this program in the next few months.”

There are currently two other facilities that have this program, Rogers State Prison in Reidsville, Ga. and Ware State Prison in Waycross, Ga. GDC plans on expanding the program to an additional two facilities over the course of the next few months.

The next diesel class at Telfair State Prison is scheduled to begin in July of this year with 30 students.

The GDC has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees.

For more information on the GDC call 478-992-5247 or visit gdc.ga.gov.