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About GTI
Posted On:
Wednesday, February 04, 2015
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Gadsden Technical Institute (GTI) has been a part of the Gadsden County Community for approximately 40 years. However, if you poll ten community members, one in ten is aware that we have an Adult Career and Technical Institute located at 201 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard right here in Quincy, Florida. When Gadsden Technical first opened in August 1973 the bulk of its enrollment consisted of co-enrolled students from four comprehensive high school sites (Havana Northside, James A. Shanks, Greensboro and Chattahoochee). Today, the bulk of GTI’s enrollment is students ages 18 to 65. Some of our students are seeking training for initial entry into the workforce but most are seeking to be retrained for new career paths. Gadsden Technical Institute offers training in the following areas: Applied Welding, Automotive Mechanics, Barbering and Cosmetology, Nail Technology, Gasoline and Small Engine, Nursing, and Business Technology. The school also has an adult education program that prepares students to past the GED and/or provides support for earning a traditional high school diploma.

The historical purpose of Career and Technical Education in Gadsden County has always been to train citizens to enter the workforce. From the 1920s through the 1970s many high school students earned vocational certifications, which allowed them to enter the workforce immediately upon becoming certified and many completers used their certifications to subsidize the cost of college degrees. Between the 1980s and early 2000s there was considerable focus on increasing the number of high school graduates enrolling directly into colleges and universities. As a result, the bulk of Gadsden Technical Institute’s focus, like other vocational and technical institutions, consisted of adult education programs that allowed individuals to earn a high school diploma or its equivalent required for enrollment in junior college and eventually, a university setting. The current wisdom is that global economies and expanding technology require a workforce that is technologically savvy and has the skill set to immediately transition into the labor market without extensive on-the-job training. Hence, today’s shift in Adult Career and Technical Education is now preparation for cutting-edge, rigorous and relevant career pathways.

GTI is attempting to rebrand who we are and what we hope to be not only to Gadsden County but also surrounding counties. Rebranding Gadsden Technical has multiple components: 1) Re-introducing our institution to the community via online, print, radio, and television media; 2) Becoming an active member of the

Gadsden County Development Council so that we can provide training that supports local industry (potential employers); 3) Becoming Career and Occupational Education Accredited so that we are poised to accept Pell Grants that will allow potential students to fund their technical education; 4) Evaluating the effectiveness of current programs with respect to the number of completers, placements, and licensures; 5) Re-investing fees and capital back into Career and Technical Education to provide 21st Century instructional environments; 6) Increasing our dialog with Career and Technical Advisory Committees so that we are fully aware of the skills local employers are looking for; 7) Reaching out to local industry for support; and 8) Reaching out to local and other post-secondary institutions for continuing education partnerships.

Gadsden Technical Institute is striving to become the institution that Gadsden County’s 46,000 residents explore first when seeking Career and Technical Education training.

"Make the call today to begin training for your future."

Gadsden Technical Institute: 850-875-8324