For media information, contact:
Dana Urrutia, 678-495-3638
durrutia@gwinnetttech.edu

February 06, 2006

Gwinnett Tech Showcased at State Legislative Function

‘Taste of Technical Colleges’ Spotlighted GTC’s Culinary Arts Capabilities

The talents of the instructors and students from Gwinnett Technical College and the state’s other 33 technical colleges were on display for legislators, state officials and others last week at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta.

More than 400 people filled the historic depot for the first “Taste of the Technical Colleges” which was sponsored by Georgia’s Department of Technical and Adult Education, the agency that oversees the Technical College System of Georgia.

Instructors and students from Gwinnett Tech’s culinary program and 10 other colleges were invited to participate in the program to showcase the colleges’ top-notch skills in culinary arts. The other technical colleges in attendance displayed top courses from their campuses, as well.

“We were pleased to participate in an event that truly spotlighted the many great, unique programs and successes happening not only at Gwinnett Tech, but at technical colleges all across the state,” said President Sharon Rigsby, Gwinnett Tech.

The invited guests saw the finest that technical education has to offer while feasting on the food personally prepared by the accomplished culinary chefs and students from technical colleges throughout Georgia.

Gwinnett Tech offers both an associate degree program and a diploma program in Culinary Arts. These programs emphasize technical and theoretical knowledge, coupled with practical applications of cooking, baking, serving and management skills that prepare students as sous chefs or for entry-level positions in the culinary arts field.

“We asked Gwinnett Tech and the other colleges in our system to come together under one roof and show their very best to our state leaders,” said DTAE Commissioner Mike Vollmer. “This was an exceptional opportunity for people to see the unique level of education that the Technical College System of Georgia is providing for today’s workforce.”

Vollmer added that the event was so successful plans are already being made to make the Taste of the Technical Colleges an annual event in conjunction with future state legislative sessions.

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About Gwinnett Tech
Gwinnett Technical College, one of Georgia's largest technical colleges, is committed to delivering relevant knowledge to meet the workforce training needs of its community. The college offers more than 50 associate degree, diploma and certificate programs and hundreds of seminars, workshops and courses providing specialized training. GTC is Gwinnett County's largest provider of corporate training and now serves residents and businesses in north Fulton County. Gwinnett Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097,404-679-4500, www.sacscoc.org for questions about the accreditation of Gwinnett Technical College. For more information, visit www.GwinnettTech.edu.

A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia.