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General Information

Initiatives
Technology Achievement Guarantee

Setting The Standard For Success
TAG......Technology Achievement Guarantee
It's the new program that links graduating high school seniors with businesses that can hire them by guaranteeing the quality of their training....as long as they've qualified for TAG Certification.

What's in it for the employers?
Most placement services take a hefty fee from workers or employers-- and only provide guarantee to the extent of returning that fee during the first 3 to 6 months. In contrast, the Baltimore County Public Schools stand behind the training we give our students. If TAG graduates are found lacking in any area of their workplace skills Baltimore County Public Schools will provide retraining at the employer's request for one full year following graduation with no cost or fee to the employer.

What does it take to get TAG Certification? TAG is only for the best students. TAG students make the effort to achieve exceptional performance. The standards used for TAG qualification are:

• Final grade of "B" or better in the technology program
  
• Final grade of "C" or better in other subjects or GPA of at least 3.0)
• Passing of all Maryland Functional Tests
• 96% attendance in the senior year
• Positive interpersonal skills

This combination demonstrates that TAG students have:

• Dedication
  
• Reliability
• Knowledge about the field of study
• Hands-on skills
• Ability to work with others

......attributes that are vitally important to employers who need to fill jobs with entry-level workers with career potential.

What occupations can involve career training and the TAG program? Here are just a few careers for which the Baltimore County Public Schools offer technology training:

• Agriculture
• Horticulture
• Accounting Technology
• Administrative Assisting
• Air Conditioning/Sheet Metal (HVAC)
• Auto Body Repair
• AutoTechnology
• Carpentry
• Electricity
• Plumbing
• Welding
• Commercial Art
• Computer Graphics & Design
• Computer Programming
• Electronics
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts
• Information Systems Management
• Legal Assisting
• Drafting/CAD
• Graphic Arts/Printing
• Machine Tool Technology
• Medical Assisting
• Allied Health

TAG Certification is available to students in all these and other programs

Who selects students for TAG Certification? Each school has a selection team composed of an administrator, a guidance counselor, one or more program instructors and a representative from business or industry. They evaluate all aspects of a students' performance in school as well as their potential on the job.

Why is TAG so selective? Before we are willing to guarantee a student's performance on the job, we want to know that the student has demonstrated a willingness to work. We believe that good work in school helps form habits that make graduates good workers. We are willing to stand behind those students who make the effort. For a full year after graduation, the Baltimore County Public Schools will retrain them upon the employer's request-at no extra charge!

What's the next step? Because there is only a limited number of TAG-certified graduates available each year, you'll want to act now. Just call the offices of Career and Technology Education at 410-887-4234
THE TAG PROGRAM IS A JOINT VENTURE OF:

RMI
Regional Manufacturing Institute

Achievement Counts
Achievement Counts is a Baltimore County Public Schools pilot program conducted in partnership with the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education and the Baltimore County Government. Achievement Counts encourages businesses to request and examine a student's high school transcript as part of the employer's hiring process.
Rationale for Examining High School Transcripts
The education and business communities share common goals and expectations for students and future employees. A strong work ethic, excellent attendance and punctuality, and mastery of high level mathematics, science, and communication skills are essential for success in school and success in the workplace.

The high school transcript is a document which provides a significant amount of valuable information in a concise form. It gives potential employers a "snapshot" of a student's performance in a number of critical areas over time. When a business person asks to see a transcript as part of the interview or hiring process, it sends a clear message to students and parents that the high school experience is a relevant, meaningful precursor to success in a career and in the workplace.