GNTC’s Donny Holmes receives Leadership in Education award
Donny Holmes, program director and instructor of Construction Management at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC), has been recognized as an education leader in the construction industry.
Construction Ready, a not-for-profit entity focused on building a skilled construction workforce, presented Holmes with its Leadership in Education award on Dec. 13 at the 2024 Champions’ Awards Breakfast at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. Holmes was one of 17 craft professionals, educators, companies and leaders in the construction industry recognized during the awards ceremony.
The award honors his work as an instructor in the construction field, as well as the support and assistance he provides to high school teachers in the state.
“I am a huge advocate for training and bringing up new generations in the construction field,” Holmes said. “The need for construction-related skill sets is huge in our state, and if I can help the teachers be better equipped and support them in any way, then that will also generate more students' interest in this industry.”
Holmes grew up on a dairy farm in rural, northern New York state. His hometown is about 10 miles from the Canadian border on the outskirts of the Adirondack Mountains, he said.
“I was always working with my hands—everything from welding and repairs to any additions or remodels,” he said. “I started off in the drafting field, and that quickly morphed into a love of seeing a project go from a set of plans to a real-life structure.”
Upon receiving his bachelor’s degree in Construction Management at Southern Polytechnic State University (now Kennesaw State University) in Marietta, he worked as a project engineer for a large company in Atlanta, building high-rise buildings and large commercial projects, he said.
“My love for construction and being a part of big projects was a joy for me,” Holmes said.
He also holds an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Construction Safety and Health Certificate from Georgia Institute of Technology. Holmes worked in the construction field for six years before he began teaching at GNTC.
He began his educational career teaching part-time as an adjunct instructor in GNTC’s drafting program and discovered he enjoyed teaching.
A few years later he applied for a Construction Management instructor position and has been at GNTC since then. He will celebrate 20 years in March 2025, he said.
“Teaching has been a passion of mine ever since,” he explained.
Holmes has been an advocate for SkillsUSA, a workforce development organization for students that empowers them to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members, according to SkillsUSA. He has coached numerous teams and individuals to compete at the state and national SkillsUSA competitions.
GNTC’s TeamWorks teams have won gold medals at SkillsUSA Georgia State Leadership and Skills Conferences; when those teams moved on to compete at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, they placed in the top five all seven times, winning gold medals twice, silver once and bronze once. TeamWorks is a team construction project that takes place over two days.
In individual competitions, he has coached GNTC students to win three gold medals in a row in Carpentry at the SkillsUSA Georgia State Leadership and Skills Conference, as well as one gold medal each in Masonry and Cabinetmaking at the state competition. In Plumbing, students have won a gold medal at the SkillsUSA Georgia State Leadership and Skills Conference once and earned a silver medal once at the National Leadership and Skills Conference.
“I love to see students—both in my program at the college, as well as high school students—learn, then apply that knowledge and those skills to succeed in the construction field,” Holmes said. “If I can help in any way to encourage, support and work along side high school construction teachers so that students get the most out of their education, then that is time well spent and a win for everyone.”
Construction Ready also named Matt Hayden, instructor of Welding and Joining Technology at GNTC, as Metals Teacher of the Year; Hayden teaches high school students and GNTC students at the Polk County College and Career Academy in Cedartown.
Construction Ready also recognized GNTC alumni Bo Dooley, a Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) instructor at Sonoraville High School, with its Leadership in Education award.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma or a certificate in aviation, business, health, industrial or public service career paths. This past year, 12,241 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. GNTC has an annual credit enrollment of 8,031 students and an additional enrollment of 4,210 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start.
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