Thomas Wesley is CPTC 2017 Instructor of the Year
January 26, 2017 08:46 AM
Coastal Pines Technical College (CPTC) President Dr. Glenn Deibert is pleased to announce that Thomas Wesley of Ware County is the CPTC 2017 Rick Perkins - Instructor of the Year - Award Winner. The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors the Technical College System of Georgia’s most outstanding instructors. As the Instructor of the Year winner from CPTC, Thomas Wesley will compete with teachers from technical colleges in our region and the state. The winner for the entire technical college system will be announced in Atlanta this spring.
Wesley, lead instructor for the electronics technology and railroad technology programs at Coastal Pines Technical College, has worked as a full-time instructor on the Waycross campus since 2007. As an Okefenokee Technical College graduate, Wesley brings a student’s perspective to his lesson plans. In fact, it is his creative teaching style, passion for teaching, and rapport with students that helped him secure the 2013 Rick Perkins Award for Okefenokee Technical College (OTC) and now the 2017 Rick Perkins award winner for Coastal Pines (formed from the merger of Altamaha Technical College and OTC).
After graduating with honors from OTC with two electronics credentials, Wesley continued his education, earning a locomotive electrical systems certificate from OTC, an associate’s degree in technology from Waycross College, and a bachelor’s degree in information technology (specialization in network administration) from American Intercontinental University. Most recently, in 2016, Thomas earned a Master of Science in Information Technology from Walden University. He is also a 2016 graduate and alumni of Leadership Waycross, a program that develops an awareness and appreciation of community resources, processes, problems, and issues. Thomas eagerly accepted the invitation to join Leadership Waycross in order to become a more effective advocate for Coastal Pines.
Thomas Wesley has earned numerous certifications over the past several years, including international test administrator for the Electronics Technician Association (ETA), fiber based systems installer, integrated voice messaging system, and copper based system installer. He has also had considerable field training to include locomotive electrical systems and biomedical instrumentation. He worked as a biomedical technician at Coffee Regional Medical Center for five years and then embarked on a new career with the rail industry (CSX).
After his former instructor and mentor accepted a job with Plant Hatch, Thomas jumped at the chance to become the electronics instructor at his former technical college and put his training and knowledge to work helping others. It was no surprise then to his colleagues when several of his students were put in the national spotlight for their skills and knowledge. The 2015 and 2016 electronics technology state winners at the SkillsUSA State Championship were in the CPTC electronics program and went on to place 6th in the National SkillsUSA competition both years.
Another major accomplishment was his role in obtaining a donation from Progress Rail in the form of an SD40 locomotive. The huge engine is used as a training lab for students in the railroad technology program. Thomas, using input from the program’s advisory committee members, played a key role in developing the program courses and curriculum. The locomotive has become a focal point for the Waycross campus when visitors tour the campus, and the railroad technology curriculum is still used today.
In his spare time, Thomas enjoys family. He is a devoted husband and father. CPTC faculty and staff wish to congratulate Thomas Wesley on this honor and recognize him for his accomplishments.
Coastal Pines Technical College is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia.
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