John Deere Dealer Optimization Training held at South Georgia Tech

Americus, GA – Approximately 300 John Deere officials from Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama took part in the John Deere 2016 Division P Optimization Training event at South Georgia Technical College in Americus, GA recently.       The two-day event was a free training session for the parts, sales, and service professionals from five John Deere dealers in the four state area. The focus for the training sessions were designed around the small agricultural portion of the John Deere line-up and featured parts and attachments for the various John Deere equipment.       South Georgia Technical College is the site for the John Deere TECH Agricultural Technology associate degree program for the southeastern portion of the United States. The program began at South Georgia Tech in August 2014 and the college hosted its first graduating class in December 2015. The training session provided an opportunity to showcase the SGTC John Deere TECH program and facilities.       South Georgia Technical College Agricultural Technology students who are currently enrolled in the Agricultural Technology program assisted with the training sessions during the two day event. This gave the dealers and their staff an opportunity to interact with Ag Tech students, faculty, staff, and administration from South Georgia Technical College.       “We would like to thank John Deere and their staff for selecting South Georgia Technical College as the site for this two-day training event,” said South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford. “John Deere is a valuable partner of South Georgia Tech and we are honored to be able to host an event of this magnitude for this group. We hope that this training session will become an annual event because it is good for the college, for John Deere, and for our community.”       Students enrolled in the John Deere TECH Agricultural Technology program can earn a two year associate of applied science degree in Agricultural Technology while partnering with John Deere agriculture and turf equipment dealers from across the southeastern portion of the United States for a career as a John Deere technician.         To enroll in this program, students must be sponsored by a John Deere Dealer. The students spend eight weeks on campus in classrooms and labs learning specific objectives, then work with a dealer for eight weeks to put their knowledge to work in a dealer setting. The students return to the college for another eight weeks of classroom and lab training and repeat the pattern during the four semester program.       Studies indicate that there is a critical shortage of technicians in this field and the John Deere TECH partnership helps satisfy this need. Students will graduate out of the John Deere TECH program having a detailed understanding of John Deere equipment and bring John Deere certifications in electrical, hydraulic and Service ADVISOR™ with them to the dealership.       Students in the South Georgia Technical College Agricultural Technology program are enrolled in general education courses, but students also train and become John Deere certified in Electrical and Hydraulic systems as well as John Deere’s computer based diagnostic tool, Service ADVISOR™. Students utilize John Deere equipment, training components, and computer diagnostic tools to understand what makes equipment run. Students will also spend time understanding engines, drive trains, and product applications for a variety of agriculture and turf machinery.       The instructors for the program at SGTC are Matthew Burks and Wayne Peck. For more information about the Agricultural Technology program, visit www.southgatech.edu, or call 229.931.2394 or 229.931.2401. Matthew Burks can be contacted by email at mburks@southgatech.edu and Wayne Peck can be contacted at wpeck@southgatech.edu.       South Georgia Technical College is currently registering students for fall semester which begins on Monday, August 15th. The first registration will be held on Thursday, July 14th and then again on August 11th. For more information about fall semester registration contact the SGTC admissions office at 229-931-2394 in Americus and 229-271-4040 in Cordele.       South Georgia Technical College offers over 200 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate of credit programs. The college also has on-campus housing and access to the complete college experience with nationally recognized academics, athletics, and student activities