Situational Analysis

Several analyses were conducted as part of the strategic planning process. The results of the situational analyses were used as a basis for development of strategies for long-range improvement and growth.

Trends Analysis

Salient trends were identified by reviewing and analyzing existing statistical data, by conducting trends identification sessions involving all CGTC personnel, and by selecting the more important trends. Major trends that were identified are summarized below.

Demographic Trends

Some of the more notable demographic trends for the CGTC service area are the increasing size of the population, the growing diversity of the population, and the increasing average age of the population. Additionally, there is a trend toward stability in the population of municipalities and more rapid growth in the population of unincorporated areas. The CGTC service area population is predominantly white, the percentage of blacks is higher than the state average, and the percentage of Hispanics is lower than the state average. However, there is a rapid increase in the number of Hispanic people moving into the area and a less pronounced increase in the number of Asians. The aging of the population appears to be occurring because the "baby boomers" have reached their 50's and because younger adults are having fewer children than before.

Economic and Workforce Trends

Economically, the nation, state, and region are experiencing a slowing of the economy that has been officially declared a recession. Some of the older and less competitive companies in the region have closed or are will be closing. At present, downsizing is a growing concern nationwide. The unemployment rate is growing and the employment of part-time workers and temporary workers who are not provided with health or retirement benefits is a growing trend. Salaries for the average worker are not increasing as rapidly as the cost of living and there are a growing number of "working poor." Lottery sales per capita (often associated with poverty) in Baldwin, Bibb, Monroe, Putnam, and Wilkinson counties exceed the state average, with Bibb County sales per capita the highest. All counties in the service area, except Bibb County, have a per capita income that is below the state average. The median household-effective-buying incomes of all CGTC counties, except Jones County, are below the state average. Bibb County has the most wealth of any county in the service area; however, the wealth in Bibb County is not evenly distributed. In fact, the percentage of people living below the poverty level is higher than the state average in every CGTC county except Monroe County. Average Wages in the service area are below the state average, but employment patterns in the service area are fairly normal. The greatest exception to the norm is the high percentage of workers employed in mining in Wilkinson County.

Educational Trends

The image of postsecondary technical education in Georgia and in the CGTC service area is improving, in part, because of an increasing nationwide awareness of the value of training for technical jobs. The image of CGTC is also improving because of the changed name, improved facilities, improved marketing, and other factors. Currently and in the foreseeable future, 70% to 80% percent of jobs will require some training beyond the high school level, but will not require a four-year college degree. Therefore, there is a growing demand for technical college instruction; however, two opposing educational trends are influencing CGTC. On one hand, there is an increasing need for individuals to obtain postsecondary training and, on the other hand, there is a significant problem of students being under prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary level programs. The SAT scores of students in the service area are significantly lower than the state average on both the verbal and math tests, with scores in Monroe County as the only ones that are approximately equal to the state average. Similarly, students in the service area score below the state average on the eighth grade ITBS tests and on the eleventh grade tests. Additionally, the high school dropout rate for the service area is slightly higher than the state average; however, Crawford, Jones, and Putnam counties' rates are better than the state average. These educational trends indicate that CGTC will need to continue to expand adult literacy, GED, and Developmental Studies services. Two positive educational trends are the increase in technical college and high school collaborations to provide dual enrollment for secondary students and the rapid increase in technical college enrollments throughout the state and at CGTC. Approximately 2000 students graduate from service area high schools each year; almost 80% of those high school graduates will not complete a four-year degree and would profit from enrollment in technical college programs.

Social and Cultural Trends

Major societal and cultural trends that will influence CGTC include the rapid increase in diversity of cultures in the nation, state, and region and, specifically, the increase in the number of non-English speakers who must be assimilated into the overall culture of the area. Another cultural trend that may or may not have long-term significance is a heightened sense of patriotism, an intensified awareness of traditional values, and a more acute concern for safety and security brought on by the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. More broadly, the society has very high expectations for comfort and convenience. Time is becoming a commodity and people want rapid results. Additionally, Macon and the surrounding areas are shifting slowly but steadily from an agrarian culture to an urban and suburban culture. Areas that have been rural are becoming "bedroom communities" for the larger urban centers. Most families in the CGTC service area no longer consist of the traditional father, mother, and children. More families than ever are being headed by a single parent or by a parent and a stepparent. Teenage pregnancy in Bibb, Putnam, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties remain above the state average and the percentage of live births to unwed mothers is above the state average in every county except Jones County. The crime and homicide rate in Bibb County is substantially above the state average and the arrest rate in Baldwin County exceeds the state average, but these rates are well below the state average in the other counties in the service area. Bibb and Baldwin counties have among the highest rates of practicing physicians per population, but the remaining counties in the service area have among the lowest rates.

SWOT Analysis

All CGTC full-time employees and adjunct instructors participated in the college-wide SWOT analysis. The major findings of the analysis are summarized below.

Strengths: The six most frequently cited strengths of CGTC are ranked below with the most frequently cited first.

1. Faculty and Staff
2. Programs, Instruction, and Training
3. Student/Customer Orientation
4. Leadership/President
5. Personnel Management and Development
6. Technology

Weaknesses: The six most frequently cited weaknesses of CGTC are ranked below with the most frequently cited first.

1. Personnel Issues
2. Student Issues
3. Communications
4. Instructional Issues
5. Insufficient Staffing
6. Facilities Shortages

Opportunities: The six most frequently cited opportunities for CGTC are ranked below with the most frequently cited first.

1. Business and Industry Relationships
2. Community Involvement and Support
3. Programs and Training
4. Technology
5. Student/Customer Orientation
6. Accessibility

Threats: The six most frequently cited threats to CGTC are ranked below with the most frequently cited first.

1. Competition
2. Under Prepared Students and Reduced Enrollments
3. Trade School Image
4. Lack of Funding
5. Insufficient Faculty and Staff
6. Community Issues

Internal Data Analysis

CGTC institutional effectiveness data, extensive student satisfaction and institutional priorities survey results, PAS/PAR and DTAE report card data, and CGTC annual report data were reviewed and analyzed as a major component of the situational analysis process.

Credit Programs and Courses

CGTC offers a broad range of technical certificate of credit (TCC), diploma, and associate degree programs in the following areas: medical, business technology, information technology, personal services, technical, and trade/industrial. New programs that have been recently added to the curriculum include six associate degree, five diploma, and 27 TCC programs. Currently 108 online and web-enhanced courses are offered and 17 courses are under development.

Student Data

In FY2001, 6,737 students were enrolled in credit courses and 4,959 students were enrolled in noncredit courses; therefore, total unduplicated enrollment was 11,696. Forty-six percent of the student body were full-time students and 54% were part-time students. Approximately 50% of the credit-hour enrollment came from Bibb County and the remaining 50% came from other counties in the service area and surrounding region. In FY2001, 1,069 students graduated from credit programs. Students were assisted in obtaining $8,324,955 in financial aid, and 3,985 students were assisted in obtaining employment, resulting in a 97% job placement rate for CGTC in FY2001. Adult literacy services, including GED preparation and testing and English literacy instruction, is a relatively new service for CGTC. The adult literacy services are becoming well established under CGTC management throughout the eight-county seven-county service area and have already achieved enrollments of 1,583 students in Bibb County alone.

Future Projections

Because of the recent downturn in the economy, the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, and the nation's involvement in a war, few economic projections and cultural predictions that were made in the last one or two years seem valid. For this reason, the planning team focused on technology, medical care, and service industry projections that seemed less affected by recent unforeseen events

Technology

Rapid advances in technology and concomitant rapid increases in demands for training needed to assimilate new technologies are predicted to continue. It seems reasonable to assume that because the economy is slowing, business and industry may be a bit slower in the adoption of new technologies because of cost; but more competitive companies will continue to adopt new technologies to attempt to gain a competitive advantage. Companies and individuals are increasingly dependent on computers, the Internet, and information systems; therefore, it is assumed that information technology and information systems jobs will continue to be in high demand and will command high wages. Future technology is predicted to include increased web-based technologies, wireless technology, ubiquitous computing, personalized and intent-based portal technology, development of advanced information systems, streaming video to the home, continued miniaturization, expanded used of digital imaging, and numerous technologies and applications that do not exist today. Demand for information-based and knowledge-based workers will continue with an emphasis on skills using and/or developing information systems.

Medical Care

Increases in demand for health care and advances in medical fields are predicted to continue. High costs associated with medical care will also continue and technical-level jobs in healthcare fields will continue to be in demand and fairly well paid. Aging/geriatrics, biogenetics/genetic engineering, advanced imaging for diagnosis, and the application of information technology in medicine will be growing areas in the future. A related area of growth will involve the management, financial, legal, insurance, and customer service aspects of healthcare.

Service Industries

Employment opportunities will continue to shift to the service industries as manufacturing jobs diminish. Because most adults, both mothers and fathers, work outside the home, there is a tremendous need fro childcare. Additionally, studies show that American employees work more hours per week and more days per year than do workers in any other county in the world. For this reason, Americans have very little time to spare and seek services, conveniences, and comforts for assistance and support.