South Georgia Technical College recently hosted Effective Communication workshops on its Americus campus and at the Crisp County Center in Cordele as part of the college’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which focuses on helping students develop the soft skills needed for success in the workplace.
Carl M. Reid III, lead coordinator for the Americus-Sumter Rural Workforce Collaborative, led the workshop on the Americus campus, while D.W. Persall conducted the session at the Crisp County Center.
The workshops centered on effective communication as the process of exchanging ideas, thoughts and knowledge by expressing information clearly and accurately while also listening to and understanding others. Students discussed how strong communication skills can benefit them in school, in the workplace and in their personal lives.
During the Americus session, Reid engaged students in a discussion about soft skills and their importance when communicating with others in a professional setting. He also used demonstrations to illustrate four types of communication: nonverbal, verbal, visual and written.
Both workshops addressed the characteristics of effective communication, including the “seven C’s” of communication: clarity, conciseness, correctness, completeness, coherence, consideration and courtesy. The sessions emphasized how these principles can help individuals communicate more effectively and build positive relationships in professional and personal settings.
Students also learned about potential barriers to effective communication, including nonverbal cues, information overload, unclear digital messages, language differences and cultural differences. The workshops encouraged students to recognize those challenges and adjust their communication approaches when necessary.
The Effective Communication workshops were conducted as part of SGTC’s QEP, which is designed to identify and strengthen learning outcomes that support student achievement. The college’s QEP places particular emphasis on workplace soft skills that complement the hands-on technical training students receive in their academic programs.
By providing students with opportunities to develop communication skills alongside their technical education, SGTC continues to prepare graduates to communicate effectively, work collaboratively and meet the expectations of today’s workforce.
