For eight years running, Georgia has been named the number one state in the nation in which to do business. But with that accolade comes a persistent challenge – serving the increasingly diverse Peach State population. Between ten and 11 percent of Georgians – about one million people – are foreign-born. In the Atlanta area, that number is closer to 14 percent.
Pathways to higher education and employment for these individuals are rife with roadblocks and restrictions, the most prevalent of which are cost and language barriers. International students look at four times the cost to attend college as a natural-born citizen and resident of Georgia. In addition, more and more of the state’s foreign-born population are either immigrants (a person who has left their country of nationality to live permanently in a new country) or refugees (a type of immigrant who fled their country and cannot return due to fear of persecution).
In a report from a bi-partisan global study committee last year, technical colleges were identified as a primary focus to improve education and training efforts for this population. The committee urged “the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) to recognize credentials earned abroad and to adopt alternatives to current restrictive diploma and transcript requirements, such as the necessity for an original, sealed copy of a transcript for those individuals who may face barriers or hardships based on their status as a refugee or Special Immigrant Visa Holder.”