Terre Haute schools tout investment in technical education

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) - The Vigo County School Corp. is a leader in career-technical education in Indiana, district officials say, and many students are pursuing career pathways that will lead to good-paying jobs, if they pursue additional training after high school.

But not everyone is aware of what the district's CTE program has to offer, something Supt. Danny Tanoos hopes to change in 2015.

"Sometimes the best-kept secrets have to be unveiled to the public in a better way from my office, in reference to things going on in the school system," Tanoos told the Tribune-Star (http://bit.ly/1xAIrZ5 ) Monday, as school resumed after the holidays. Even Gov. Mike Pence has highlighted Vigo County CTE programs, he noted.

Some people believe the district is not doing enough to educate students in high-demand fields where there are workforce shortages. Tanoos disagrees and believes the school district does have a strong CTE program, based on its 29 career pathways and cooperation from the universities, mayor's office, Economic Development Commission and Chamber of Commerce.

This year, CTE will be a focus and it will be marketed so that the community, students, parents and industry representatives have a better understandings of what is offered. There will be opportunities for people to see firsthand what the schools are doing.

Doug Dillion, director of CTE programs in Vigo County, noted that the three major high schools each have five industry-size CNC machines, which required a substantial investment.

CNC (computer numerical control) machining is a process used in the manufacturing sector that involves the use of computers to control machine tools; tools that can be controlled in this manner include lathes and mills. The district has nine CNC mills and six CNC lathes, as well as other high-tech equipment.

Eight years ago, the district invested more than $1 million in its CTE programs, with part of that money used to purchase nine CNC machines; last year, six were added.

"I think people would be amazed," Dillion said. "We have a lot of technology and we are training kids to a very high level." The district is getting ready to unveil a major initiative related to robotics that will involve partnerships with colleges and industry.

The robotics project has involved "a tremendous amount of time and energy" to provide students with the best possible opportunities, Dillion said. "We're trying to make it so Terre Haute/Vigo County/Region 7 is a hub for new technology."

Students are increasingly taking CTE courses and pursuing the district's 29 career pathways, which include: construction trades; drafting and design; interactive media/web page design; education professions; hospitality management; computer programming; electronic, welding and precision machine technologies (manufacturing); automotive service technology and Project Lead the Way Engineering.

- In 2012-13, 2,906 students earned 5,351 credits in CTE courses.

- That same year, 1,544 students earned 4,427 dual credits that counted for both high school and college.

- Also, students earned 153 industry certifications, and the graduation rate for CTE students was 96.2 percent.

- 100 percent of seniors classified as CTE concentrators (six or more high school credits in a CTE pathway) graduated.

Some of the high-demand areas include manufacturing, automotive, health care and education; Dillion said there will be a shortage in education specialty areas including math, science and technical areas.

Last year, one high school graduate who pursued welding, drafting and machining pathways earned a $10,000 college scholarship, Dillion said. "Kids are getting their post-secondary education paid for through the pathways."

In another success story, he noted that this past year, "We had 31 students in one day earn National Institute for Metalworking Skills certification. "

Stacy Mason, VCSC director of secondary education, pointed to the district's Counselor Academy, in which high school and middle school counselors are involved in hands-on learning about the pathways; they do activities in welding, electronics and on CNC machines. They do Project Lead the Way Engineering activities. "It exposes them to everything happening in those pathways" so they can communicate it to students, parents and others, Mason said.

Those counselors can then better guide students as far as scheduling and courses of study that relate to their career interests, she said.

People may not realize career pathways can benefit both those headed to the workforce as well as those planning on attending such colleges as Purdue or Rose-Hulman. "There are many places where those pathways overlap," Mason said. "It's important for our counselors to know where those pieces overlap so everyone gets that information."

Other regions in the state are replicating the district's Counselor Academy program, she said.

While some career pathways can lead to jobs right out of high school, most require additional post-secondary training to reach maximum earning potential, Dillion said. "Lifelong learning is a fact of life."

In November, the chairman of the National Association of Homebuilders came from Delaware and visited the district's CTE programs, and he was impressed, Dillion said. Many schools on the East Coast no longer offer such programs as welding, construction and machining, a trend that has contributed to the so-called "national skills gap." Once those programs are eliminated, they are difficult - and expensive - to bring back, Dillion said.

Vigo County School Corp. leaders had the foresight to maintain the district's CTE programs, he said.

"He (NAHB chairman) spent seven hours with me" and toured Terre Haute South Vigo High School programs as well as the district's building trades program, Dillion said.

In Indiana, there are only 18 high school electronics programs left, with Vigo County having two of them - at North and South Vigo high schools. Also, there are only 36 high school machining programs in the state, with three of them in Vigo County - at North, South and West Vigo, Dillion said.

___

Information from: Tribune-Star, http://www.tribstar.com