Georgia Piedmont Technical College (Georgia Piedmont) and Clark Atlanta University have agreed to launch an historic partnership to expand postsecondary educational opportunities, strengthen academic rigor and increase student success.  Implementation of the partnership program entitled - “Access 4 Achievement” - will begin in the late Spring of 2017.  It calls for dual admissions and joint enrollment for qualified students at both institutions, program-specific transfer agreements and joint faculty and teaching opportunities for graduate students and faculty at both institutions.
 
Dr. Jabari Simama, President, Georgia Piedmont Technical College, actively sought a higher education partnership with Clark-Atlanta University to provide additional transfer opportunities for Georgia Piedmont students who complete their technical education requirements, but wish to pursue a four-year degree and graduate school.   “Students enrolled in the Access 4 Achievement program will graduate prepared for today’s job market, as well as ready to adapt to sudden shifts in market demands well into the future,” said Dr. Simama.
 
The partnership is in keeping with CAU President Dr. Ronald A. Johnson’s plan to equip every student with stackable credentials, which will make them more globally competitive upon graduation.  Dr. Johnson believes this bold new initiative will assist students in graduating sooner with both high-demand technical skills and the soft skills, which are key indicators of long-term employment success.
 
Additional benefits students will receive from Access 4 Achievement include:

Broadened access for talented, college-bound students

Improved graduation rates due to support services and flexibility in program design

Immediate higher earning potential

Long-term, consistent employment stemming from an education that stresses flexible, adaptive thinking and skill development
 
Access 4 Achievement will be officially announced during a news conference Wednesday, February 15, 2017, 10:30 a.m. in the Robert W. Woodruff Library Exhibition Hall at Clark Atlanta University (111 James P. Brawley Drive, SW, Atlanta, GA 30314).  Remarks from the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce will provide additional insight on this partnership’s capacity to dramatically address the need for a more skilled workforce in the Atlanta region.