Representatives from a technical school more than 4,700 miles away visited West Georgia Technical College last week to share ideas and tour industrial and educational resources in Georgia.

Winfried Schiffelholz – head of the technical school in Donauwörth, Germany – and other representatives from the school visited numerous West Georgia Tech campuses during their weeklong visit, also touring KIA Motors Manufacturing Georgia in West Point and Grenzebach Corporation in Newnan.

West Georgia Technical College President Steve G. Daniel visited the Ludwig-Boelkow Vocational School/Technical College in Donauwörth last fall, inking a cooperation agreement.

Georgia is the first U.S. state to introduce a German-style apprenticeship program, in which high-school students take college coursework while also working in an industrial facility. With its U.S. location in Newnan, Grenzebach played a major role in the introduction of the program and is using it to train apprentices in industrial maintenance there.

“We were so excited to have Mr. Schiffelholz and his team here with us in Georgia this week,” Daniel said. “We consider them a highly qualified partner in the German-style apprenticeship program we have at West Georgia Tech, and their expertise and insight into how a successful apprenticeship operates in Germany has been invaluable to us.”

Schiffelholz said he and Daniel were able to set up a practical “road map” for the mutual educational exchange for years to come.

“Our trip to West Georgia Tech can be called a success all along the line,” Schiffelholz said. “We would like to thank President Daniel and all his wonderful members of staff for their exceptional hospitality, generosity and kindness. Together we were able to lay the foundation of a fruitful partnership for a prosperous future of our schools and colleges in Georgia and Germany.”

On Tuesday, the group toured the Coweta Campus and the Central Educational Center, with lunch prepared by West Georgia Tech Culinary Arts students. Following lunch, the group toured German-based Grenzebach Corporation’s facility in Newnan.

On Wednesday, the German group toured KIA Motors Manufacturing Georgia in West Point before touring the LaGrange Campus, with specific interest in the Precision Manufacturing Lab.

The group also attended the Georgia Governor’s Manufacturing Appreciation Week luncheon and toured other various locations in Georgia.