ST. PETERSBURG – Last April Pinellas Technical Education Center was officially re-dedicated as Pinellas Technical College (PTC). One year later they unveiled their new logo to match their new state of mind.
“Our logo is like a sun coming up and that’s what we are doing—we’re coming up; we’re moving up,” said PTC Director Boe Norwood at the April 8 unveiling.
They pulled out all the stops in celebrating their new look on both the St. Pete and Clearwater campuses. WiLD 94.1 DJs Bootleg Kev and Davy Rolando were on hand providing party music; a smorgasbord made possible by the Culinary Arts class included everything from fried chicken to empanadas and t-shirts, lanyards and book bags were handed out to all the students.
“In talking with students this morning, they feel that there’s a new beginning that the sun represents on the logo—that their life is changing. Their future is changing and they have a lot of opportunity and promise ahead,” said Executive Director of Career Technical Adult Education Mark Hunt.
“I love the logo. In landscape management and nursery management the sun is essential for growth,” said PTC student Laura Clarke.
Adding the word “college” onto their name best describes what they have to offer. Norwood feels that the courses they teach are comparable to a college or university, but with a fraction of the cost.
“The average person can come here and not owe a penny and go out with a very successful full-time job in the field of their choice,” he said.
Since the name change, more people are stopping by to see what they have to offer, which prompted them to add new courses that are in demand in the Tampa Bay area.
“Based on the Chamber of Commerce, manufacturing is the number one job around here, so we added an Automation and Production Technology course,” said Norwood, explaining that the county spent over $600,000 in getting the program off the ground.
Other new courses include Network Support Services, Advance Welding Technology, which is so popular it has a waiting list, Medical Administrative Specialist and Landscape and Turf Management.
PTC is making it almost impossible not to pursue an education. Realizing that transportation problems is the number one obstacle in attending school, this past January PTC teamed up with Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) to offer students and staff members free bus rides simply by showing their student or work identification badges.
Visit www.pcsb.org/ myptc for more information or call (727) 893-2500.
About Pinellas Technical College
Since 1962, PTC has helped students gain a solid technical education and first-rate careers at both the Clearwater and St. Petersburg campuses and at extension and clinical locations. They provide postsecondary education, continuing education courses and commercial training focusing on over 40 exciting career areas and nearly 60 programs. Close to 5,000 students are already entrusting their futures to PTC.
