Nursing student, Akira Lawrence, shares her success in global education with faculty selected for the national global workforce initiative.
Warner Robins, Ga. – Eleven Central Georgia Technical College faculty members have been selected to participate in the 2026 Global Workforce Initiative (GWI), a nationally recognized faculty development program designed to strengthen career and technical education through global workforce integration.
Funded through Indiana University’s Center for the Study of Global Change, the six-month initiative prepares educators to align classroom instruction with the skills increasingly sought by globally connected industries. Faculty will be involved in the initiative beginning in September.
The program is delivered through a national partnership between the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and Digital Promise Global, bringing together educators from community colleges, universities, and K-12 institutions to modernize curriculum and prepare students for careers in an evolving global economy.
“Our college and community have long believed that international education is not separate from workforce development; it is workforce development,” said JoBen Rivera-Thompson, director of Marketing, Public Relations and International Outreach. “As Georgia continues to attract global industries and international investment, our responsibility is to ensure students understand not only the technical skills required for their careers, but also the global context in which those careers now exist. This initiative represents another step in CGTC’s commitment to preparing graduates who can compete and lead in an increasingly interconnected economy.”
Representing a broad cross-section of the College’s academic programs, the participating CGTC faculty members include:
- Dennis Brown, Radiologic Technology
- Stanley Ferguson, Business Management
- Jasmine Fuller, Anatomy and Physiology
- Justin Grimsley, Construction
- Ekaterina Mirzakulova, Chemistry
- Courtney Phillips, Nursing
- Tabithia Ross, Biology
- Andrea Stephenson, Physical Therapist Assistant
- Deryk Stoops, AI-Enhanced Robotics
- Cara Jones, Business Technology
- Christina Swann, Anatomy & Physiology
Throughout the program, faculty members will collaborate in virtual learning cohorts with educators from across the country to develop globally informed instructional strategies, redesign curriculum and create classroom experiences that better prepare students for today’s internationally connected workforce. Participants will also contribute revised syllabi and instructional materials to Indiana University’s Access Global platform, expanding educational resources available to institutions nationwide.
The 2026 cohort reflects the diversity of CGTC’s academic offerings, spanning healthcare, advanced manufacturing, business, construction, and the sciences. Faculty will work alongside educators from high schools, community colleges, and universities to identify workforce learning needs, modernize Career and Technical Education curriculum, and integrate global workforce competencies into existing courses.
Participation in the initiative comes as Georgia continues to strengthen its position as a global economic leader. According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the state’s international trade exceeds $210 billion annually, while exports reached a record $60.2 billion in 2025. Foreign-owned companies employ approximately 300,000 Georgians across industries including aerospace, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, logistics and technology.
Faculty participating in the initiative will attend approximately seven synchronous virtual training sessions over six months while independently developing globally focused lesson plans, revising curriculum and completing program assessments. Upon successful completion, participants will receive professional development recognition and a stipend. Revised syllabi and curricular artifacts will also be published through Indiana University’s Access Global platform, supporting a national repository of globally focused educational resources.
Since its launch in 2019, the Global Workforce Initiative has trained more than 240 secondary and postsecondary educators. Previous program outcomes have demonstrated sustained curriculum integration, widespread syllabus modernization, and lasting collaboration among faculty across institutional boundaries.
For more information on Global Initiatives at CGTC, visit www.centralgatech.edu/global.
About Central Georgia Technical College
As one of the largest two-year colleges in the state, CGTC operates three campuses and five centers throughout central Georgia, serving more than 30,000 individuals annually. CGTC is focused on connecting graduates to careers by offering quality education services, assuring a well -qualified workforce to support a healthy local economy. CGTC is a unit of the Technical College Syst em of Georgia and is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. For more information about CGTC, visit www.centralgatech.edu. Like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/centralgatech), X (@CGTC), and Instagram (@centralgatech).