WTVM.com and WTVM News Leader 9, Columbus, GA | Columbus Tech receives training vehicle from Kia

Columbus Tech receives training vehicle from Kia

West Point, Ga. -- Columbus Technical College President J. Robert "Bob" Jones received a Kia "key to the future" during a special event held today at the Kia Georgia Training Center in West Point, Ga. Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Inc. (KMMG) donated 20 of the all-new Kia Sorentos to the Technical College System of Georgia.

The colleges receiving the cars were chosen based on the size of enrollment in their automotive programs. The 2011 Sorento is scheduled to be delivered to Columbus Technical College on Monday, August 2nd.

Regarding the donation, the program manager for the automotive technology training department at Columbus Technical College, Alan Ashmore, said, "This represents an incredible opportunity for our students.

While our program of study includes theory and practical application of service and repair of all vehicles sold in the United States, we don't frequently get to work on the very newest vehicles. Having a pre-production 2011 vehicle available will vastly enrich our program."

President Jones says donations like these help Columbus Technical College make a strong statement about its service to the community.

"We are so proud to have business partners like Kia Motors Manufacturing," Jones said. "The commitment and confidence in our college by such a reputable organization helps our community better understand the quality of education and training our students receive."

"The Technical College System of Georgia has been an important partner for Kia Motors Manufacturing from the very beginning," said Mr. K.S. Kim, senior vice president of KMMG, during the presentation ceremony. "Many of the technical colleges have provided support for our endeavor, and most especially Georgia Quick Start has been critical to our success, as they have developed and delivered workforce training that is the new global benchmark in our industry of advanced automotive manufacturing."

"The donation of these vehicles is just one expression of our deep appreciation for all that Georgia's technical college system has done to support our success," Mr. Kim added. "We consider the keys to these Kia Sorentos to also be the keys to the future for technical college students across the great state of Georgia."

Kia first announced it was going to build an automotive manufacturing facility in Georgia in 2006. The Kia Georgia Training Center, operated jointly by Kia and Georgia Quick Start, opened its doors in 2008, and since then, KMMG has hired more than 1,700 team members who began producing the best-selling, award-winning Sorento last November.

Commissioner Ron Jackson received the donation on behalf of the TCSG. "Students across the state will have the opportunity to experience some of the most sophisticated automotive technology on the market today," Jackson said. "KMMG's generous donation will help prepare our graduates with the knowledge and experience to compete in the world of advanced automotive manufacturing."

The automotive technology training program at Columbus Technical College offers several certificates, two diplomas and an associate's degree. Enrollment in the program has continued to rise over the years as the demand for graduates continues to increase among local automotive service and repair business.

Source: Columbus Technical College