SkillsUSA Georgia News 2008-2009

SkillsUSA is Awesome! is the feeling shared by members from Hiram High School in attendance at the Fall Leadership Conference on Jekyll Island. (pictured left-right: Amber Moss, Megan Hendrix, Megan Rull and Christina Bellino)

First for Georgia Career Education

Hutchings Career Center AYES/Healthcare/SkillsUSA students visited Gwinnett Technical College’s Healthcare, Corporate-Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan, General Motors and General Automotive Programs to learn more about post secondary options for their future.

The faculty of Gwinnett Technical College’s automotive programs welcomed Hutchings Career Center students and celebrated a first in automotive education for the state of Georgia. Gwinnett Technical College and Hutchings Career Center have entered into an articulation agreement. The students from Hutchings Career Center’s AYES program will have the opportunity to attend Gwinnett Technical College’s Corporate Automotive and General Automotive programs with credits already earned at Hutchings Career Center’s AYES Automotive Program. These credits will be applied towards their Degree or Diploma program at Gwinnett Technical College.

Hutchings Career Center is the first secondary school to have an articulation agreement for corporate programs in the state of Georgia’s Technical College system. The articulation agreement came about because of the cooperation of the Gwinnett automotive faculty and the team work of the Hutchings Career Center. Together in a collaborative effort, they developed an AYES program that exceeds the standards of most secondary school programs. The benefits for a Hutchings AYES student are: less time in class, state of the art training by the factory, support from local dealership and a savings in cost for training.

Gwinnett Automotive Director Steve Conway greets and informs Hutchings’ faculty and students of the opportunities available to them at GTC.
Students tour the Engine Performance Dynometer Lab, Chrysler Lab, General Motors, Nissan, and Toyota lab/classroom.

Hutchings’ SkillsUSA students and Gwinnett College Automotive faculty celebrates the articulation agreement. Jeremy Balkcom, AYES student holds the signed agreement between the secondary and post secondary. The document guarantees a seamless transition for Hutchings students in their career choice.

For more information: http://www.gwinnetttech.edu/auto/ and www.autoteacher.net

Members Assist with Special Olympics

On November 21st more than 20 SkillsUSA members from Lee County High School spent the day at Georgia Southwestern University in Americus , GA. Members assisted with the Area XI Special Olympics. Time was divided helping the Olympians with games, assisting teachers with lunches and cheering and encouraging competitors. By the end of the day members found that these students with unique abilities truly are “People First.”