Columbus Tech enrollment decreases while Technical College System of Georgia increases

The enrollment at Columbus Technical College has decreased for the second straight year while the enrollment in the Technical College System of Georgia has increased during the same time period.

Comparing 2018 to 2017, Columbus Tech’s enrollment dipped by 1.5 percent, from 4,676 in 2017 to 4,607 in 2018. The decline was much steeper the previous year, by 10.6 percent, from 5,231 in 2016. Columbus Tech’s enrollment was 5,041 in 2015 and 5,438 in 2014.

The state system’s enrollment increased by 1.9 percent, from 134,630 in 2017 to 137,208 in 2018. It’s the second straight year TCSG gained enrollment after losing students the previous two years, falling from 143,658 in 2014.

Columbus Tech is one of six institutions out of the 23-college system with enrollment declines during the past year. The other five are Bainbridge State College (from 1,550 to 1,051), Georgia Northwestern Technical College (from 7,750 to 7,499), Georgia Piedmont Technical College (from 6,020 to 5,799), North Georgia Technical College (from 3,779 to 3,660) and Savannah Technical College (from 5,846 to 5,752).

In an emailed interview, Columbus Tech president Lorette Hoover told the Ledger-Enquirer on Wednesday that this year’s enrollment difference is “minor” between the TCSG’s increase and Columbus Tech’s decrease.

“While headcount went down, our full-time enrollment went up 3.9 percent,” she said. “This means students are more engaged in completing their studies and skill sets faster to enter the job market.

“It is also important to know that we have experienced a significant increase in the specific student population who have two or more years of college/university who have transferred to CTC, including bachelor’s and masters degrees, which is now 24.2 percent of the college’s student body.”

The system’s enrollment increase is primarily due to dual enrollment, the program that allows students to earn college credit while still in high school, Hoover said. She expects Columbus Tech’s enrollment to also benefit from dual enrollment as it works with the Muscogee County School District “to provide additional and varied dual-enrollment options for high schools.”

Columbus Tech has more than quadrupled its number of dual-enrollment students since 2013, from 154 to 667.

Hoover explained what Columbus Tech is doing to try to increase its overall enrollment.

“The focus of CTC’s enrollment strategy is to support the workforce needs,” she said. “With manufacturing rebounding and expanding, the manufacturing programs have had significant increases, including welding, machine tool technology and mechatronics. Medical programs have always been popular and strong. We have have repeated our national ranking for registered nursing being No. 8 as compared to all RN programs in public and private colleges and universities. With the hospitals’ support, we are growing that program as well.”

Another part of Columbus Tech’s enrollment strategy is aligned with the regional prosperity initiative called Columbus 2025, Hoover said, “focusing on kids from poverty and assuring they have an opportunity to gain academics and skills for a great career. Many of our high-demand career programs are tuition free, thanks to Gov. (Nathan) Deal’s support. Partnerships with our local nonprofits to grow access for individuals who are first-generation college students, veterans making a change of career, or those who need an opportunity, have also been highly successful.”

Hoover noted the TCSG enrollment report measures the number of students for the entire academic year (fall, spring and summer terms). Columbus Tech already has a jump-start toward showing an enrollment gain next year because it has increased its fall-term enrollment by 6.8 percent compared to last fall, she said.

Emphasizing that quality of students, Hoover said, “CTC had a 100 percent job placement rate of our graduates, 88.5 percent were placed in the job for which they trained and graduated, and 37 percent of graduates also took their associate’s degree, started new jobs and continued their education at a university -- all great news.”

The Ledger-Enquirer reported last week that Columbus State University’s enrollment declined while the University System of Georgia’s enrollment increased this past year.

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272, @MarkRiceLE.