West Georgia Technical College’s Computer Information Systems (CIST) program partnered with Southwire’s IT Department to host the inaugural Computer Science Innovators Challenge at WGTC’s Carroll campus. The event aimed to encourage creativity and innovation among participants of all skill levels by challenging them to develop original projects within a limited timeframe, addressing unfamiliar concepts.
The event saw three teams participating, each presenting their projects to the judges. The first-place team, composed of Glenn Freeman, Kristy Bishop, and Christian Putman, developed “Know Your Power,” a power consumption calculator in natural language that could understand appliance power draw. The second-place team, John Paschal and Taylor Lowery, created “Streamline, Simplify, Scale (Waybridge SAP/ER)” which aimed to automate the scaling process for transportation and direct trucks and trailers. The third-place team, Robert Galan and Kevin Keeler designed “The Future of City Exploration,” a traveling tool that uses AI to guide users and provide historical data and fun facts.
Each team received Visa gift cards ranging from $50 to $150 for their innovative projects. This exposure provided an opportunity for students to showcase their skills, problem-solving abilities and potentially impress future employers like Southwire. It could also lead to internship opportunities and future career prospects for the participants.
Tara Shackleford, CIST Program Chair at West Georgia Technical College highlighted the importance of such events in providing students with real-world experience and exposure. She encouraged students to participate in such challenges as they help develop critical thinking skills that are essential in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. To learn more about WGTC’s CIST programs or to get involved in future events like this one, contact Tara Shackleford at tara.shackleford@westgatech.edu or visit www.westgatech.edu.
