Warner Robins, Ga. – David Watts, an Aviation Maintenance Technology student at Central Georgia Technical College, from Bibb County, has been named the College’s winner of the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) for 2024.
The announcement was made at the college’s GOAL Awards Reception in December. As the winner, Watts receives a monetary award from the CGTC Foundation and its Board of Trustees, as well as a coveted reserved parking space on campus.
After a series of interviews to determine finalists, Watts was chosen by a panel of local community leaders over four other finalists for the award. Finalists were Ashanti Brown, a Welding and Joining Technology student from Houston County, Emma Hughes, a Welding and Joining Technology student from Houston County, Toler Thompson, a Registered Nursing student from Baldwin County and Courtney Yoder, a Registered Nursing student from Macon County
Watts will now proceed to regional judging in February. All college GOAL winners will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Atlanta for three days in April where nine regional finalists will be announced. A panel of leaders from the business, industry, and government sectors will interview state finalists and select one technical college student to be the 2024 State GOAL Winner, TCSG’s Student of the Year, and the recipient of the GOAL medallion.
“I feel like through technical college, I will be joining the workforce with a much stronger foundation in what I will be doing on my career,” said Watts. “I’ve always been an advocate for technical college education, I love seeing the people around me succeed as well, I have always advocated for technical college because I believe is the best pathway to success.”
GOAL, a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students. Local GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s 22 technical colleges, and those winners go on to compete at regional and state competitions for the title of State GOAL winner.
The grand prize also includes a brand-new car, courtesy of Kia Motors, the statewide corporate sponsor of the GOAL program. The winner will serve as an ambassador for technical education in Georgia for the year.
Watts’ nominating instructor for the College GOAL award is David Johnson, instructor for Aviation Maintenance Technology Aerospace, Trade and Industry.