Students unable to access loans, scholarships after metro Atlanta trade school suddenly closes
Students at a Metro Atlanta trade school told Channel 2 Action News they can’t their transcripts, certifications, and access to loans and scholarships after their trade school suddenly closed.
Dozens are now trying to reach staff at Omnitech Institute, but they can’t get a response.
Veteran and father DJ Scott had plans of pursuing a Cyber Security career, until a few weeks ago. Scott was just days away from finishing his Network Engineering training at Omnitech Institute in Eastpoint.
“I had just finished my last class,” he said.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Scott said he overheard a classmate on the phone saying the school was closing.
“They’re like ‘You know the school is closing right?’ I was like what do you mean the school is closing?” asked Scott.
Scott had a veterans scholarship to Omnitech Institute which was also covering his monthly expenses. But as the school closed, he stopped receiving those monthly expenses.
“We don’t have the paperwork to say network engineering from Omnitech Institute, we don’t have that,” said student Raven Hamilton.
Hamilton is now left with a loan and nothing to show for it.
“I signed a loan to attend the school... a $20,000 loan. Even the loan providers, the company that gave the school the loans, said they can’t get in contact with the school,” said Hamilton.
DJ, Raven, and several others have been trying to reach the school, but they said the staff has stopped responding to emails, texts, and calls.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to Omnitech. Their phone is disconnected and emails to the founder were returned to his voicemail box.
“I feel like they really got money off of us and ran with it,” said Scott.
In paperwork submitted to the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, Omnitech leaders said they closed because “The current economy has made it difficult to continue operations at this time.”
The school also said, “Students have been provided copies of their transcripts.”
But DJ and Raven say that’s not true.
GNPEC said “We are still in the process of gathering information from Omnitech students enrolled at the time of closure,” before it takes action.
TRENDING STORIES:
Lewiston shooting: At least 16 killed after gunman opens fire, Maine authorities say
Mother says her 15-year-old son Facetimed her from party moments before he was shot to death
Students like Scott and Hamilton are waiting, trying to not give up hope.
“I’m at a loss as to how to move forward,” said Hamilton.
GNPEC is pointing students to another school, but many say they can’t get released from their current loans to use at another school.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
IN OTHER NEWS:
