SGTC Aircraft Structural Graduate Kelvin Fowler working at Lockheed Martin in Marietta

    Kelvin Fowler of Oglethorpe graduated from the Aircraft Structural program at South Georgia Technical College in 2019 and is thankful for the opportunity that his education has afforded him with a career as an Aircraft Mechanic at Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Georgia.  He has been with the company for over four years now and feels like SGTC helped “Bridge the Gap” to get him to this career.

   “I would encourage anyone who is interested in working in the aviation maintenance or aircraft structural field to come look at South Georgia Technical College,” said Fowler.  “I was working in another field, but I knew this was what I really wanted to do.  So, I made that decision to come back to college and I am so glad that I did.”

  Fowler said, “when you have a dream, don’t ever give up on that dream.  If you put God first and ask him to make a way, he will.”  That is exactly what Fowler believes happened for him.  “I was offered a job at Lockheed Martin even before I finished the Aircraft Structural program, but I really wanted my diploma.  The recruiter told me that the job may not be available when I graduated.  I trusted God and continued my education.  When I graduated, I had to wait a few months but then an opening happened and I have been there ever since.”

   SGTC Aircraft Structural Instructor Jason Wisham shared that success stories like Kelvin Fowler’s are part of the reason he loves his job.  “Kelvin was a great student,” said Wisham.  “He had already been working in another career.  He changed course and was my Student of Excellence and was a South Georgia Technical College Foundation Scholarship recipient.  He knew what he wanted to do and he worked toward that goal.  I am so proud of him and his accomplishments since he graduated.” 

   “South Georgia Technical College provided me with a great experience,” explained Fowler.  “I learned a lot.  A buddy of mine, Frederick Allen, and I decided to come back to school at the same time.  He graduated a month before me.  I think we were able to influence a lot of others to consider South Georgia Tech.  Today, I think we are both success stories.  We came straight out of school and landed our dream jobs in the career we wanted.”

   Fowler said that is one reason he encourages others to consider a technical education. “Go to a technical college because they can train you and help you to get a career.  Not only do they give you the tools to succeed in a career, they also prepare you for the world of work and for life.  But you can’t learn if you don’t go and you can’t produce if you don’t show up.”

   That type of work ethic has definitely helped Fowler in his professional life.  “I really love what I do. Not many people can look at a plane and say ‘I helped build that.’”  He also said part of the reason he loves what he does is because, “we work as a team, grow as a team, and succeed as a team.”

   He also admits that the money is not bad.  “Most of the aircraft structural graduates at Lockheed Martin start out at over $20 an hour and it only goes up from there.  When the company does better, we do better, so it is important to show up and work hard.  Safety is very important when you are building an aircraft.”

   Fowler is the son of Phillip W. Fowler and Connie Mae Fowler, both of Oglethorpe, GA.

   South Georgia Technical College is currently accepting students for summer semester.  Classes begin May 22.  Interested persons can apply online at www.southgatech.edu by clicking on the Apply Now button on the top right-hand side of the home page.

   For more information about the Aircraft Structural program at SGTC, contact Instructor Jason Wisham at jwisham2@southgatech.edu or 229-931-2585.