At the start of the 2013-2014 school year, Grayson County High School will implement a new “Machining” program, which is designed to provide students with skills that will hopefully help them find a job straight out of high school.

Assistant Superintendent Doug Robinson said the planning for the program started last summer and is geared toward students who may not feel that college is the right choice for them.

Robinson said he and Superintendent Barry Anderson were invited to attend two plant managers’ meetings in the past year. He said the meetings included employees from local companies such as Leggett & Platt, MTD, Byrd Tool, OFS, Campbell Hausfield, Walter T. Kelly, Plastikon, Extreme Fabrication, Bailey Lumber, Bel Cheese, and Mid-Park.

“Not everyone will go to college,” Robinson said. “Mr. Anderson and I met with localplant managers to see what skills students would need for those types of [manufacturing and machining] jobs. We want to give young adults the skills they need to get a job right out of high school.”

Robinson said the state has allowed the high school to offer a number of classes, which will be held in the technology center; though he admits the program may take time to catch on with students.

“There will be some growing pains,” he said. “But we want to see that when students graduate from GCHS, they have the skills they need to get a job and that might give them an edge over other people who apply for those same jobs.”

GCHS Technology Center Director and Marketing Instructor Cynthia Smith said the center is currently in the process of hiring a new teacher to take on the Machining classes and hopes to hire the new teacher within the next six to eight weeks.