New program gives Cobb high school students training for a career in 9-1-1

The first class passes the base 9-1-1 certification course with flying colors

May 5, 2023 - Before they even graduate high school, fourteen Cobb students have completed the base course that could lead them to a career in 9-1-1.  This inaugural class was part of the Career, Technical, Agricultural Education (CTAE) program at Osborne High School, and the 14 students passed the course with an average score of 95.5.

“I think the students had the world of 9-1-1 opened to them,” said Robbie McCormick, Deputy Director of Administration and Education with Cobb Emergency Communications. “These students have a head start in making this their career, and we hope they do so with Cobb County. Hopefully, this journey with them will continue should they choose to intern with us in the fall.”

Work to integrate this class into the curriculum started in 2022 when the Cobb County Department of Emergency Communications (DEC), Association of Public Safety Officers (APCO) International, and the Program Managers for the CTAE at Osborne High met to discuss the including a 9-1-1 Career Pathway to their already established Law enforcement and Fire Services Pathways.  The course offered to the students is the APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator I Course, a 40-hour accredited class that gives those who complete it a Public Safety Telecommunicator Certification.

“This inaugural program is the first of its kind in the metro area,” says Cobb DEC Director Melissa Alterio.  “We are proud to support not only the students at Osborne High School but the entire community by bringing them quality training and applicants to serve as the first of the first responders. Our Training Team is truly an elite group of individuals, continuously striving to reach new heights - raising our standards and leading the charge in best practices in the 911 industry.”

Alterio says Cobb’s Department of Emergency Communications Training Division instructors helped teach the course.  She says if any students opt for a career in 9-1-1 and enroll in Cobb’s training program, they will have a 40-hour head start and could quickly transition to observation and practical work in the E911 Center.

Cobb’s DEC hosted a graduation ceremony at its center on Friday, May 5, 2023, and gave the students a tour of the facility.

Cobb County Department of Emergency Communications is Georgia’s third largest Emergency Communications Center, with a staff of 152 full-time members working 24/7/365. More information on the Cobb County Department of Emergency Communications can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.