Grayson Technical Education Program: Pathways to Future Careers
The Grayson Technical Education Program, established in 2004, offers a unique opportunity for Gwinnett County public high school students to explore various career pathways. Located in a state-of-the-art facility adjacent to Grayson High School, Grayson Tech provides Juniors and Seniors with hands-on learning experiences designed to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary for future success. The program distinguishes itself by offering specialized training in 13 distinct career pathways.
A Spectrum of Career Pathways
Grayson Tech boasts a diverse range of programs, each designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of its respective field. These programs include:
- Commercial Photography
- Culinary Arts
- Cybersecurity
- Entrepreneurship
- Exercise Physiology
- Graphic Design
- Horticulture & Forest Science
- Information Support Services and Game Design
- Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
- Music Industry
- Sports Medicine
- TV and Video Production
- Veterinary Science
Students enrolled in these programs, with the exception of Law and Justice, have the opportunity to earn four credits. Law and Justice program allows students to earn three credits. The dedicated staff is committed to providing the best possible learning experiences, encouraging students to forge their own paths toward their desired futures.
Cultivating Entrepreneurial Minds
The Entrepreneurship program at Grayson Tech is designed to empower students with the skills and confidence to become successful entrepreneurs. Students will be equipped to become confident problem-solvers who can recognize opportunities, think critically, design innovative solutions, and pursue opportunities with purpose. The curriculum focuses on developing confident problem-solvers who can recognize opportunities, think critically, design innovative solutions, and pursue opportunities with purpose. The program explores three key areas:
- Entrepreneurship Essentials
- The Entrepreneurial Venture
- Advanced Entrepreneurial Strategies
Students will explore these areas to help them organize and operate their own start-up business. The course emphasizes the use of the Business Model Canvas to analyze entrepreneurial ventures and make strategic plans for growing customer base, expanding product lines, or even pivoting to improve market share and revenue streams. Employability skills are integrated into activities and projects to demonstrate the skills required by business and industry. Throughout the course, students work in teams to develop their own start-up concept, conduct customer discovery, build a business model, and present a professional pitch. Emphasis is placed on creativity, critical thinking, communication, ethical decision-making, and resilience.
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A career in business and administration involves business and financial planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating business functions essential to efficient and productive business operations, general management, business information management, human resources management, operations management, and administrative support.
Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice: A Glimpse into the Justice System
The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice program offers students a unique opportunity to explore the intricacies of the legal system. This program embeds a 4th year Language Arts course for graduation and Board of Regents admission requirements. Students explore the latest industry tools and techniques used in Law Enforcement such as radar guns, police scanners, DUI field sobriety tests, fingerprinting, handcuffing, and evidence gathering. The curriculum covers the role and structure of the government, the rights and responsibilities of citizens and police, the criminal justice system, courts and corrections, and civil/criminal law. This course may be a path to a police academy, a college Criminal Justice program, or even a career as a lawyer.
The program is led by Mr. Trinkwalder, who brings a wealth of experience from his 23 years in law enforcement at the local and state level. During his career Mr. Trinkwalder was a supervisor in patrol operations and a criminal investigator for cases involving anything from petty theft to homicide. The last six years was spent investigating auto related crimes for the Georgia Department of Revenue where he was appointed to the board of a national organization, as well as several auto crime related committees for other national organizations. Mr. Trinkwalder is also an adjunct instructor at Lanier Tech for the Criminal Justice Program. Mr. Trinkwalder attended Gwinnett Tech, University of Alabama, Columbia College, and is currently completing a Master’s Degree in Criminal Psychology at Liberty University.
Dual Enrollment and Networking/Cloud Computing
Grayson Tech offers a Dual Enrollment program, providing eligible students with the opportunity to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously. Taught from an industry perspective in a non-traditional classroom environment, students will be engaged in interactive project-based learning activities and a modern online certification curriculum. First semester students will take the college-level course CIST 1001 Computer Concepts. This course covers the fundamentals of processing, security, industry ethics, hardware operation, networking, the Internet, design concepts, and software at a rigorous college level.
Dr. Wendy Dyer, the Networking and Cloud Computing Instructor at Grayson Tech, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the program. Dr. Dyer is a graduate of the University of Georgia where she earned a Bachelor's of Education in Mathematics. She received her Master’s in Mathematics Education and her Specialist in Curriculum & Instruction from Piedmont College. She also received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Argosy University. Dr. Dyer taught a combination of mathematics, information technology, computer science & programming and game design over the course of her 20+ years at Grayson High School. She enjoys teaching computer science and serves as an advocate for equity in computer science.
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