On Wednesday, April 21, Gwinnett Chamber members heard from leaders in our local higher education institutions discuss the ways they have adapted during the past year of the pandemic. The panel consisted of Dr. Glen Cannon, President of Gwinnett Technical College, Dr. Jann Joseph, President of Georgia Gwinnett College, and Dr. Laura Crawley, AVP of Academic Affairs and Campus Director of UGA Gwinnett Campus.

Economic Impact

UGA Gwinnett

• 500-600 non-traditional and professional graduate students

• 12 graduate degree programs, as well as certificate programs and professional development opportunities

Georgia Gwinnett College

• 4,000 jobs in the community in addition to the 1000 jobs on campus

• 75% of graduates work in Gwinnett

Gwinnett Tech

• 75% of local jobs can be filled by Gwinnett Tech graduates

• Constructing a $52 million building centered around Cyber Security, Gaming, Artificial Intelligence, and Virtual Reality

One of the county’s strongest assets lies in its renown higher education institutions. In addition to the county’s nationally recognized public education system, the higher education institutions, and their ability to equip students with the right skillsets continue to attract businesses from around the globe. Each of our panelists has agreed that the past year revealed the resiliency of their faculty, the need to adopt new practices for learning and training, and the importance of collaborating collectively to realize a thriving Gwinnett.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gwinnett Chamber quickly pivoted our approach of serving our members by including virtual and hybrid models of engagement. Dr. Crawley stated that the new shift in remote and virtual practices will continue to be utilized. We also believe that these new practices are here to stay. As the voice of business, the chamber will continue to identify better ways serve the business community, and we are grateful to have willing partners in higher education to meet the existing and future needs of our workforce.