About

Trenchant Core® – Gap Education and Professional Development

Our Mission

The Mission at Trenchant Core® is to bridge the gap between conventional education and practical understanding of a successful business, career and life. Through GAP Education and Professional Development, we prepare strong, independent leaders to compete in today’s rapidly evolving business world.

The Concept

Trenchant Core® service concept culminated over a 20 year veteran educator/business woman’s experience. She noticed a gap between conventional education and work preparation. Career track or vocational student, entry-level employee, and entrepreneurs demand separate knowledge, skill sets, and traits.

Throughout her experiential journey she interviewed high school students through university level professors. She sought to understand why Professional Development is not a priority in education. Her two primary questions: “Why are today’s graduating students so ill prepared to compete in our workforce?” “Why do so many students require a gap year(s) to figure things out?” Their questions remaining unanswered.

Conventional learning institutions are NOT organized to prepare students for each track. They AREN’T equipped to empower self-education for individuals in pursuit of their own development goals, nor to strategically plan to stay current with trends or technology. Most gap year programs rely on students to fix their own problems without providing the right information, resources or the tools to do so.

As a result, the concept for Trenchant Core® and the unique educational, coaching and consulting niche was developed by Anna Rawson to address the voids she discovered.

Our Vision

Trenchant Core® is a combination education, enrichment and coaching service. We bridge the gap between education and career regarding general employer desired knowledge, skill and trait development in present and future staff. We help Small Business Owners (SBOs), Corporate Executives (CEs), employees, independent career professionals, and entrepreneurs solve their productivity, performance and interpersonal work relations issues.

Experienced coaches collaborate with and provide services to Professional Educators (see Collaborators). By evaluating curriculum and teaching methods we can assist educators in preparing more tangible connections and student guided career pathways. Trenchant Core® is the missing link to engage students and make traditional education relevant. We work with teachers and administrators to prepare students to design their Gap Education and Professional Development.

We teach, coach and advocate for mature minded students age 14+ in preparation for college education, entrepreneurial journey, or vocational track (see Students). Students will design their own Gap Education and Professional Development. Once the program is complete, students will be able to answer these four questions. “How do I apply what I’ve learned in school?” “What am I missing?” “Am I expected to develop myself?” “How do I become successful?” Client’s approach the path(s) of their choosing with clarity and precision.

We offer Gap Education and Professional Development solutions to . . .

  • Business owners or leaders working to solve productivity, performance or interpersonal relations issues with their employees
  • Entrepreneurs or struggling Small Business Owners looking for a savvy sounding board, and accountability structure to maximize their performance.
  • Educators or youth advocates working to give students practical knowledge, skills and tools to become successful in their career path
  • Motivated students, eager to develop and polish their skills, traits and knowledge to feel confident and progress in career development
  • Parents with a 14+ year, mature student, motivated to integrate professional knowledge, skill and trait development with their education

Service Audience

  • Corporate and Small Business Leader(s) and Employee(s)
  • Business Associations
  • Novice, Prospective or Struggling Entrepreneurs
  • Static Career Professionals
  • Education Collaborators
    • University and Career Track Individual(s) and/or Professor(s)
    • High School Student(s) and/or Teacher(s)
    • Vocational Apprentice(s) and/or Instructor(s)
    • At-Home and Distance Educators
  • Mature, Success Driven Students age 14+ with an engaged parent
  • Youth Leadership Organizations
  • Youth Groups & Spiritual Leaders
  • Engaged Student(s) and their Advocates
    • Social Services
    • Juvenile Justice Administrators

In-Person Service Areas

Portland Metro Area including Southwest Washington, Northern California’s San Francisco Bay Area, Central Coast, Central Valley

Virtually or By Phone

Nationally via Phone, Zoom or Google Classroom, and Internationally, by special arrangement.

Service Methods

Formal Gap Education and Professional Development

Interactive Learning

  • Leadership and Team Conference Calls
  • On-Site Business Evaluations and Prescribed Solutions to Business Owners
    • Customized Employee Training, Management and Leadership Curriculum Development
    • Business Structure and Design Improvement
  • Instructional – In-Person, Zoom, Google Classroom
  • Speaker Events – In-Person, Zoom, Google Classroom
  • Educational Evaluations and Integration Strategies
  • And much more . . .

Informal, Focused, Gap Education and Professional Development

Independent Learning

  • Phone Consultation
  • Leadership Growth Planning and Mentoring Sessions
  • Self-Paced, Guided Custom Curriculum
  • Experiential Learning Opportunities
  • And much more . . .

Service Framework

  • One-on-one Instruction or Coaching and Guided Experiential Learning
  • Small Group Instruction or Coaching (2-4 Participants)
  • Small Group Instructional Workshops (5-50 Participants)
  • Large Group Seminars (50+ Participants)
  • Motivational Speaking Engagements
  • Custom Arrangements Available

Service Process

  1. Assessment and Analysis
  2. Education and/or Coaching Plan
  3. Custom Curriculum Design
  4. Instruction Services
  5. Evaluation and Reflection
  6. Review and Modification
  7. Periodic or On-Going Consultation

Welcome to the cutting-edge of relevant education and workforce training! Come and develop YOUR Trenchant Core®!

Click to learn more about, or enroll in Gap Education and Professional Development on our “Enrollment” page.

Click to learn more about the “Concept Origin” of Trenchant Core®.

Let’s get to work!