Valdosta, Ga — There’s beauty in discovering a new life and purpose in something otherwise considered non-valuable or junk. Wiregrass Tech student, Olivia Gilliland, has found her passion in life through the college’s Auto Collision Repair program. Gilliland enrolled in the college after working as a customer service agent for over four thousand car dealerships. She felt hemmed in this position not seeing any advancement, but it was more than that. She felt stuck, there wasn’t any passion for what she was doing. During breaks at work she find herself watching the technicians work on damaged vehicles and watched them bring an old car back to its original state. “I dreamed to one day have the tools and knowledge to repair cars and paint awesome designs,” shared Olivia.

Olivia’s dream of bringing beauty back to old or damaged vehicles has come true. Since entering college at Wiregrass Tech in the Auto Collision Repair program, she has been very busy. Last fall her instructor Mark Whitson, nominated her for the college’s GOAL (student of the year) program where she made it to the top 4. She is a member of the Student Government Association, and the student advisor for the Auto Collision Repair program. Olivia is a member of SkillsUSA through Wiregrass and competes in SkillsUSA Competitions. This March Olivia along with the other members of Wiregrass SkillsUSA team will represent the college at the State competition in Atlanta. Her artistic talent and skills came in handy again when she designed and airbrushed the turrets for a Star Wars pinball game used at the college’s annual Wired Up event last fall.

She recently participated in a community project where she was able to couple her artistic flair with the skills she’s learned in auto collision. She air brushed painted metal day lilies as a SkillsUSA community project lead by the 2017-2018 Cook Leadership Group for the City of Adel. “It was an honor to airbrush the day lilies, one is almost 8’ tall, I’m so proud of the work I’ve done.” Other programs involved in the daylily project include; Welding, Auto Collision Repair, and Machine Tool Technology. Students from the Cook Campus Cosmetology program helped raise funds for the project.

When asked what her plans are for the future, she grins and says the “American Dream.” Even though this term has been used a lot over the decades, it holds some nostalgia value when she says it. You hear her passion for what she’s doing now, her confidence in her abilities and the skills she’s learned at Wiregrass, and you see her smile. After graduation she would like to start her career at a local automotive body shop with long term goals to own her own working automotive garage. “I love my future career. I’m excited and honored to do something that has given me a new reason to live,” shared Olivia.

She credits Wiregrass for helping her rebuild her future. With the multiple financial aid programs like WIOA (Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act), and other financial aid options she is able to attend college and stay clear of accruing any student load debt. “I’m forever thankful that Wiregrass has given me the tools and strength to repair and refinish my life instead of totaling it,” shared Olivia.

For more information, the Auto Collison Repair program and/or other programs the college click Programs of Study. Wiregrass is currently accepting new students for Spring B-term classes. B-term classes start February 14, 2018.

Wiregrass Tech’s Auto Collision Repair Technology and member of SkillsUSA team Olivia Gilliland used her skills she learned at Wiregrass along with her artistic abilities to create life like metal daylilies for the City of Adel as a project by the Cook Leadership group.