Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing & Design

General Automotive
Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing & Design

James Hoang

In 2017, I entered into the General Automotive Program at Gwinnett Tech with high hopes of becoming the best master automotive technician of the future. It was always my dream to work on cars as a kid, but I never got around to it because of my difficult life circumstances. I’d envisioned a lot as a child about my future, but was deeply discouraged by everyone. One issue always led to another, which prevented me from accomplishing anything. My poor decisions, lack of direction, and the immense struggles I went through for eight years took its toll on me.

I decided I would end my life because I felt it was too late to recover from my depression. That night I attempted suicide by driving my car up to 152 mph on the freeway, hoping it would crash and end my life. I don’t remember anything afterwards, but fate decided that I would not die that night. Fast forward to late 2017, with hopes of accomplishing a dream I thought was impossible, I enrolled at Gwinnett Tech. The first year I was excelling remarkably fast in my automotive courses thanks to the competent and professional instructors who took their time to help me learn. I was also named the first recipient of the Liberty Tyree Automotive Scholarship.

Gwinnett Tech held career fairs on campus to help students secure jobs before graduating, and not once, but twice, Gwinnett Tech has helped me secure two automotive positions. They also made sure that students were rewarded and recognized for their achievements, which lead me into Phi Theta Kappa and also National Technical Honor Society.

What really blessed my heart so much, was when Gwinnett Tech remembered that I told them that I would love to work for Hennessy Lexus of Atlanta after graduating. They went out of their way to contact the service director and set up an appointment for me. I knew nothing of this until the director of the automotive program told me that he had recommended me to Hennessy Lexus of Atlanta. Long story short, I got the position and am thrilled to be in the career of my dreams. Fixing my family and friends’ vehicles, working at a professional dealership, and providing quality service for our community is literally a summary of my life.

As a graduate of 2019 with a 3.9 GPA, I successfully received the AAS Automotive Technology Degree 10 years later. You can only imagine how happy I was after accomplishing not only my educational goals, but also starting a career that I truly love. I thought all this time it was too late, but it was never too late to follow my dream. Thanks to Gwinnett Tech, I am able to live my life with a purpose and to stand proud with on the foundation they have given me.

Welding and Joining
Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing & Design

Matthew Brown

Inspired by his heroes – his father and older brother – and their example of strong work ethic and family priorities, Matthew Brown knew he wanted his career to at least live up to their legacies. “My older brother inspired me to become a welder because he always talked about things he had made and the different opportunities a welding career offers,” Matthew said.

Matthew re-enrolled at Gwinnett Technical College in the Welding and Joining program, having previously graduated with a degree in Environmental Horticulture. “After my first degree, I took two semesters of landscape architecture at the University of Georgia but quickly realized I didn’t want to sit behind a desk for the rest of my life,” Matthew said. “That’s when I decided to go back to Gwinnett Tech.

“It may have taken me some time to discover my passion, but better late than never.”

A Zell Miller Scholarship and Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant recipient, Matthew avoided the burden of student debt and was able to focus all of his attention on his studies. After just one month in the program, Matthew secured a Production Welder position at Caterpillar, Inc., in Athens, GA, where his skills learned in the classroom are paying off profoundly.

“My proudest accomplishment is being able to produce the required number of parts per shift within my first two months, which others who have been there longer still struggle with,” he said.

Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing & Design

David Hanna

When I began my studies in the Mechatronics Program at Gwinnett Tech, I had no experience with the subject, except for the occasional project or hobby. It was always something I was fascinated by, but I was never sure that I could do it professionally. As I have progressed through the Program, my confidence in my abilities has grown exponentially. For the first time, I’m pursuing a career in something that I truly love. Mechatronics is a broad field that allows me to gain experience in a wide variety of engineering disciplines. Already, my education at Gwinnett Tech has landed me a position as a Lab Assistant, and after I get my degree I can’t wait to see what the future holds for my career.

Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing & Design

Erin Yeatts

The drafting program at Gwinnett Tech has exceeded my expectations. Even just two semesters into my Architectural Drafting degree, I feel confident that I will be able to handle whatever comes my way on the job.

The AutoCAD courses have really demonstrated what to expect in the industry standard level. Knowing how to visualize objects in their finished state has helped me enormously in my current position as a 3D Printing Specialist. With my knowledge of AutoCAD, I’m able to convert CAD (computer-aided design) drawings into 3D software to produce anything from architectural model hoes to children’s toys.

The fundamentals of this program have taught me how to effectively communicate with clients and peers using architectural terminology. My goal is continue making meaningful connections in the industry until graduation; after that I plan on working in residential or commercial drafting and design.

Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing & Design

Shakita Thomas

From the beginning of her scholastic career here at Gwinnett Technical College, Shakita Thomas was described as a great source of support. She was a dedicated student, took a demanding course load, and always impressed everyone around her with her accomplishments.

As the secretary cabinet member of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) at Gwinnett Technical College, Shakita’s devotion to architecture has deepened through the years. She is an admirable, thoughtful, dependable person; the type who always remembers birthdays no matter how hectic her own life is at the time.

While her collegiate career has been extraordinarily successful, she has managed to maintain a sense of balance in her life through industry internships and family relations. As a Spring 2021 graduate, Shakita was an exceptional student and a great “Woman of Construction”.

Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing & Design

Sandro Figueroa

I chose to be an electrical engineering technology major because electrical/electronics concepts are so interesting to me and relevant in our society. Being part of this major meant that I would be able to better understand the world around me and be able to create/engineer solutions to problems.

In lectures, we have learned many relevant and important concepts including but not limited to semiconductor devices, electronics circuit analysis, field programmable gate arrays, computer aided drafting, and more. The labs accompanied by the lectures definitely gave the classes a more memorable and applicable experience.

As a current industrial electronics technician, I cherish the theory and hands-on experience that I have gained through the program as I can directly apply my knowledge to troubleshoot and understand electronic circuits and machines. I was able to find my way and create a fruitful career for myself at Gwinnett Tech.