New College & Career Academy Coming to Walker County

Governor Brian P. Kemp announced this month that the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) approved a grant totaling more than $3 million to establish a new College & Career Academy in Walker County. Named Walker LAUNCH, this project is the result of a partnership between Walker County Schools and Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC), and it will serve Walker and Dade County students.

Walker LAUNCH plans to add four additional dual enrollment pathways on the Walker County Campus of GNTC. These pathways will train students in mechatronics, culinary and hospitality, healthcare, and teacher preparation. Existing LAUNCH programs include:

• Welding
• Automotive
• HVAC
• Early Childhood
• Medical Assisting
• Allied Healthcare Pathways
• Cosmetology
• Computer Networking
• Criminal Justice

LAUNCH’s goal is to open the mechatronics lab in August 2024, with at least 15 students in the inaugural cohort.  The school system has contracted with Southern A & E architects, and they have already started design plans for renovation of space on the GNTC campus..

The new College & Career Academy is being made possible through a grant comprised of $3 million in bonds and an additional cash amount of $100,000. This funding will provide essential resources to build and support a state-of-the-art learning environment, equipped to prepare students for the challenges of the modern workforce. With the addition of Walker Launch, the number of College & Career Academies in Georgia rises to 58, marking a significant milestone in the state’s educational landscape.

Georgia’s College & Career Academies collaborate with over 3,000 business partners. These partnerships ensure that the curriculum and training provided are closely aligned with industry needs, enhancing both employability and skill sets for graduates.

To learn more about Georgia’s College & Career Academies, visit www.tcsg.edu/gcca.