Germanna Community College (GCC) is opening an Apple Authorized Training Center (AATC) in December, making it the only community college in Virginia offering Apple certified courses. The initiative is a cooperative arrangement between GCC, the University of Virginia (UVa), Apple and Culpeper’s M2 Media Studios, Inc. (M2M), a company that provides training in media technologies.
The AATC will be located at Germanna’s Daniel Technology Center 18121 Technology Dr., Culpeper. The 39,000 square foot facility is designed primarily for workforce development instruction and technology training. It is being outfitted with new Apple equipment. “The equipment investment supports Apple coursework and enables AATC trainees to take certification exams,” Zitz said.
“For that past two years, Apple has put a hold on opening new authorized training centers in North America,” said Janet Stoppee, senior executive vice-president and chief creative officer of M2M. When UVa decided to outsource IT needs, Stoppee and her husband Brian worked with their contacts at UVa and arranged to have the university’s AATC transferred to M2M and Germanna.
“This alliance between Apple, Germanna, UVa and M2M is the result of mutual vision for how media technologies can dramatically expand the opportunities of this community,” said Brian Stoppee, president and executive producer at M2M. “We saw significant synergy to bring together education, the needs of business and the career goals of individuals.”
“M2 Media Studios has been an Apple developer for years,” said Mike Zitz, GCC director of Media & Community Relations. “M2M qualified to obtain the contract, based on use of Germanna’s Daniel Technology Center. The Stoppees had been in touch with UVa on this change since late April.”
“This alliance is part of a broader effort in the development of an ongoing media studies program for this region of Virginia,” said Dr. Jeanne Wesley, Germanna Community College vice president for workforce and community education. “Our initial focus is the immediate workforce needs of the community, where Apple devices play an ever growing role in daily business operations. These educational opportunities will lead to jobs that pay well in a field in which workers with these skills are in demand.”
The first two courses, Mac 100 and Mac 101, are scheduled for Monday, Dec. 8, and Tuesday, Dec. 9. Registration is available online.
Mac 100 – Apple Mac OS, The Complete Introductory Course is an intense, one-day combination of classroom instruction and hands-on exercises taught by an Apple Certified Instructor. Mac 100 provides a strong foundational knowledge of Apple computers, and is frequently attended by teachers who work in a lab with both Mac and Windows computers.
Mac 101 – Apple Mac OS: The Complete Support Fundamentals Course is a three-day course designed for existing information technology professionals and those who aspire to such IT careers. It provides in-depth exploration for on-call troubleshooting for Mac help desk professionals.
Germanna and M2M plan more courses in the near future.
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