‘Cooking Up’ Success

‘Cooking Up’ Success

For young people looking to get their foot through the proverbial door of the culinary industry, there may be no better opportunity than the Cook Apprenticeship Program at Tuckaway Tavern and Butchery in Raymond.

“We have tailored this program to coincide with the training for our cook position,” explained Tuckaway Tavern’s Assistant Executive Chef Jen Hiller.

Standards in the program, she continued, were made to train apprentices to work on different preparation and cooking techniques as well as equipment safety and knowledge of various cooking vessels, minor management of staff and health code laws.

“We train these individuals for 6,000 hours over the course of 3 years with on the job training as well as relevant schooling,” she added.

As for whom is targeted by the program, Hiller said it is particularly beneficial for those in high school or freshly graduated individuals looking to enhance and further their respective culinary interests.

“With completion of this program, we would ideally hire right away given the path the apprentice chooses,” she said. “Our program coincides with our business so hiring these individuals after would be a definite plus for us.”

Regrading the rationale behind the program, Hiller said they developed it as a support system for those considering culinary as a future career.

“This program opens up the initial world of cooking to those interested and provides support in the form of mentors,” she said. “We want to give young people the most attentive training possible with attention to detail throughout the entire process.”

The program, Hiller noted, makes business sense from an employer’s perspective.

“It is beneficial for us as employers to be able to train someone for the exact position that fits our company and the goals we have as a whole,” she said.

Developed and implemented within the past year, the program currently employs one apprentice.

“She is eager to learn the process and details needed to become a cook and all the branches we offer here with that position,” said Hiller. “This is a great stepping stone for her to fine tune what road she would like to take at the Tuckaway come the end of this program with us.”

Hiller also cited the program helps to meet civic responsibilities.

“As a business, it is also great knowing that she has proper training preparing her for whatever path she chooses,” she said. 

In looking to the future, Hiller said it is their hope to take on another apprentice within the next year.

“We are in the works of developing a manager training program and excited to start that process, too.”

To learn more about Tuckaway Tavern and Butchery, visit https://www.thetuckaway.com.

Workforce shortage Sparks Creative Recruitment Strategies

Workforce shortage Sparks Creative Recruitment Strategies

MFLike many states, New Hampshire is experiencing difficulty filling available jobs in what are broadly referred to as ‘the trades,’ which has one business owner “thinking outside the box.”

“Rather than posting jobs on job boards, which really doesn’t work anymore, I am turning to the community for their help,” said Al Lawrence, owner of Artisan Electrical Contractors in Madbury, NH.

For anyone that makes a referral of a licensed electrician to Artisan Electric, even if it does not lead to a hire, Lawrence said they will send the person a Dunkin gift card. The incentive does not stop there, however.

“If we do hire someone, we will offer two tickets to the Pats and Dolphins game on December 29 or the opportunity to select a local nonprofit and have us donate $500 in your name,” he added.

For Lawrence, though, the recruitment campaign is not a gimmick.

“We are offering more than a job,” he said. “We are promoting an organizational culture, our care and concern for the community. I’d like to think that we are making a positive difference in the community. We want people who share in our values.”

Founded in 1989, Artisan Electric serves residential, commercial and industrial consumers.

“The workforce shortage in this state is real, which is why we need to be proactive in our recruitment,” added Lawrence. “I think our value proposition is that we offer not just a job, but a career and stability with room for growth. I believe the communities we serve can help us find the right fit.”

To learn more about Artisan Electric, or to refer a licensed electrician, visit artisanelectric.com.

Engineering The Future

Engineering The Future

At Milford High School & Applied Technology Center (ATC), educational experiences in Engineering has opened up possibilities for several students, including junior Veronica Sillerico and senior Matthew Hannon.

“I took Engineering Design to get a better idea of what a career in engineering would be like in my first year of high school,” said Sillerico.

She also participated in the school’s Manufacturing and Externship Program in which three companies–Spraying System, Alene Candles, and Hitchner–work collaboratively to engage students in both educational and working environments.

“I plan to take the Externship Program for next semester,” added Sillerico, who said program at ATC attracted the attention of Congresswoman Annie Kuster last year.

“She visited the school and spoke with students, teachers, the companies involved, and four ambassadors to speak with her at a roundtable discussion, myself included,” she said. “After the meeting, I asked the Vice President of Spraying Systems if I could take a summer internship at the company, which he accepted.”

Sillerico noted she had “a remarkable experience there,” which has led her to seriously consider pursuing a Mechanical Engineering or Computer Programming career.

For Hannon, his aspiration is to earn a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Although he plans to attend Virginia Tech, he has also been accepted at Norwich University and SNHU. 

“For a long time, I was looking into aerospace/aeronautical engineering but thought that Mechanical was broad enough that I could apply it to many different fields,” he explained. “I feel that I gained a lot of experience in Mechanical Engineering through the Robotics class I took sophomore year.”

This class, he said, incorporated a lot of problem solving and technical skills that helped intensify his interest in the subject.

“One of my favorite projects was this ‘Crain Robot’ that me and my partner, Jack Vogel, had to build in Robotics,” he said. “I thought it was one of the more difficult robots to build and code and therefore was, in my opinion, the most fun to build.”

Aside from her work in school, Sillerico has pursued other pathways, one of which includes her recent acceptance to BAE’s Women in Technology Program.

“I also wrote an ELO ad campaign developed by Cookson Communication for a Work Based Learning event at Manchester Community College,” she added.

In looking ahead to the future, Hannon said his experience at ATC has helped him appreciate an important concept.

“Failing is going be a part of the learning process,” he said. “Honestly, it makes succeeding all the more amazing when it finally happens.”

Sillerico added, “In this program, I have met new people and learned new ideas and acquired soft skills that I believe impact me as a person and eventually will bring forth greater opportunities.”

NHJES Annual Conference Highlights Diversity

NHJES Annual Conference Highlights Diversity

On October 2, the New Hampshire Joint Engineering Societies (NHJES) held its 13th Annual Conference, highlighted by a live demonstration from students from St. Thomas Aquinas in Derry.

“They were able to demonstrate the skill of the VEX IQ robot picking up cylinders in an agility style movement,” said NHEJS Board Member Frank Xydias, who teaches at Milford High School & Applied Technology Center. “It was great.” 

Representing the third year running in which the conference included secondary teachers and students, this year’s conference featured several other presentations.

Students from Manchester Community College’s Workforce Development Summer STEM Camps showcased their 3D printing and robotics skills. In addition, Milford High School & Applied Technology Center’s Engineering and Career Focus Internship students discussed their programs.

“The conference provides an opportunity for students to connect with professional engineers from across the state,” added Xydias. “It’s a chance to learn about career pathways, career planning and network as a junior engineer.”

NHJES Chair Michale Bogue commented on the skills and preparation demonstrated by these students.

“Our society has expressed a desire to stay true to our mission, which is to provide education, leadership, and support,” he said. 

“We do this for both our adult members and our future members, the students in attendance, added Xydias.

Members in NHEJS include New Hampshire Society of Professional Engineers, American Council of Engineering Companies, American Society of Civil Engineers – NH Section, IEEE – New Hampshire Section, Society of Women Engineers, Southern New Hampshire, and Structural Engineers of New Hampshire.

At this year’s conference, Keynote Speaker Dr. Cist, Vice President of R&D for Geophysical Survey Systems in Nashua, told stories of applications of ground penetrating radar systems.

“While it is a subject that sounds like it would only apply to engineers in the field, his illustrations and stories captivated us all,” recounted Xydias. “He also challenged all the students in the audience to follow their passion for engineering, because it is a career that does a lot of good.”

It is also a career with “tremendous diversity,” as he said there are more than 40 types of engineering degrees and a number of subcategory professions,” he said. 

“An engineering career can lead to many other professions,” he added. “It is not exactly what people think, which is why this conference is important, because it helps to paint that broader picture.”

As for the future of engineering, Xydias said it is unknown to a certain extent, which makes the field so intriguing.

acknowledged he is not sure, which he said makes the engineering field so interesting.

“The careers that students will be going into in 10 years have not even been developed yet,” he said. The future is wide open, and engineering is going to be behind many of the advances that shape how we live.”

One Superintendent’s Take

One Superintendent’s Take

Recently, David Ryan, Superintendent of School at SAU 16, spoke about the importance of helping build pathways to careers for students at Seacoast School of Technology, a topic he feels should receive more attention.

“The current state of education includes multiple pathways for students that don’t resemble traditional schooling of years’ past,” he said. “We have more K-12 students learning in community settings, colleges and universities, internships, independent studies, and extended learning opportunities.”

These opportunities, he said, stand in stark contrast to prior educational models in which students “were required to sit for a definitive number of hours in a classroom chair and learn only in the schoolhouse.”

“The roll-out of competency-based education as a regulatory requirement in 2005 was groundbreaking in terms of requiring it in all schools,” he said.

Ryan said the concepts behind competency-based education have been alive and well for years in career preparation models, such as CTE and corporate-sponsored training programs. These models, he noted, underscore a very important shift that has begun and will continue to take place in education.

“We have begun to talk seriously about training students to be thinkers and leaders as opposed to rote memorization of facts and redundancy of skills,” he said. “Students need to be able to assimilate and adapt to the changing labor market.”

The concept of “career pathways” is not mere ,either.

“Science and technology move too rapidly to single out one specific career path,” he said. “Building a fundamental skillset on the basics of science and technology and then applying those basics to increasingly complex experiences that promote inquiry, prototyping, and discovery will be the new way to learn.”

He said this new way to learn rests on partnerships between schools and industry.

“We need our community partners and business leaders to begin providing those experiences and guidance now,” said Ryan, who said the economic lever of every community is its school system.

“In New Hampshire, real estate values rise and fall depending upon the quality of the education people believe their children receive,” he said. “The quality of the education can depend quite heavily on the financial support it receives from the town.”

He said that employers seeking quality job candidates, particularly those with young families, find it much easier “to recruit and hire the very best” when they are able to demonstrate the strength of the schools.

“A high quality school traditionally attracts families who value education, making it easier for businesses to not only stock their rosters but thrive in retail settings,” he added.

Noting schools are “preparing the employees of tomorrow,” Ryan said it is critical businesses and schools work together to complement an educational program that includes adaptability to changing markets and accessibility to good paying jobs.

“This is essential if communities are going to sustain their quality and growth by keeping our graduates here,” he said.

Presently, Ryan said this is an issue that is not receiving the proper attention it deserves.

“Thankfully organizations like NH Coalition of Business and Education, Stay Work Play NH, and the Governor’s Task Force for the Recruitment and Retention of a Young Work Force for NH are addressing it with gusto,” he said.

As for steps he is taking in his own district, Ryan said they are expanding their Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) program to include a full time coordinator.

“We want to better serve the individual needs of students who are seeking such opportunities as well as expand and introduce them to the meaningful and rich experiences from among a more broad array of organizations,” he said.

He said that part of this process will include guiding students through some form of personal reflection to help them understand self-knowledge and the impact that has on their outlook to the future.

“ELOs can do this, but we also want to enhance our internships that currently exist with our current business partners by introducing cooperative education experiences that involve full-time employment that carries academic credit,” said Ryan. 

He said their goal in SAU 16 is to create more opportunities for students to discover their passion and then create a supported path of exploration.

“We believe this will allow our students to really focus more on what they want to do after graduating from high school and be better prepared to do it successfully,” he said.

To learn more about SAU 16, visit sau16.org.