Feb 26, 2018 | Article, Automotive
Concord Regional Technical Center Automotive Technology teacher Scott Mayotte has been recognized as one of the top skilled trades teachers in the country in the annual Harbor Freight Tools for Schools national competition. His $30,000 prize is a split award, with $10,000 going to Mr. Mayotte and $20,000 going to his automotive program at the CRTC.
The purpose of the prize is to recognize teaching excellence in the skilled trades that enables students to “learn deeply and be career-ready,” Harbor Freight Tools said in a statement announcing the $500,000 national competition. “We define an ‘excellent’ program as one led by a teacher who clearly loves the subject matter and … whose curriculum is matched to a relevant career pathway and future work choices.”
Mr. Mayotte, who lives in Lebanon, ME, was one of ten finalists from across the country representing skilled trades such as construction, automotive, architecture, manufacturing and marine systems technology. There were three $100,000 first-place winners announced late last year and seven second-place winners who were awarded $30,000, with awards being split between the teachers and the programs they teach.
“We are all very proud of Mr. Mayotte, and very happy with the recognition this award brings to the career pathway work we do here at the CRTC,” CRTC Director Steve Rothenberg said. “This award not only validates the investment Mr. Mayotte makes in his students and his program but also helps to create an awareness of the way high school career and technical education programs statewide promote college and career readiness.”
After nearly two decades as an automotive technician for Volkswagen, Mr. Mayotte returned to the classroom to teach Automotive Technology at the CRTC in 2011. His students graduate from a nationally certified program with valuable industry credentials and can earn college credit for their coursework. By cultivating relationships with 14 New Hampshire auto dealerships, Mr. Mayotte is able to both keep his program current with industry technology and place all his senior year students into internship positions where they are able to refine their skills and develop the beginnings of a professional network.
This fall, Mayotte established the “All Girls Garage” at Concord High School to introduce more young women to the auto industry, and he works with each of his students to develop a workable college and career plan so that they leave high school knowing both where they want to go and just how to get there.
“My goal is to provide each student with the tools and support he or she needs to leave high school with a workable plan for future success,” Mr. Mayotte said.
Feb 22, 2018 | Article
On Friday, April 13, the Vermont/New Hampshire Career Development Association (VTNHCDA)will host its first ever all-day workshop at Keen State College.
According to Doug Cullen, past president of the association, the gathering will be “a small event, but with great speakers,” each of whom will initiate conversations around Transition Planning for students and young adults in Vermont and New Hampshire.”
“Participants will hear from both local and national speakers about how others are looking at the career development frameworks and putting them into operational practices,” he said.
He said the workshop will also provide educators from New Hampshire an opportunity to learn more about what is happening just west of the state’s border.
“How much do N.H. practitioners know about what Vermont is doing?” he rhetorically noted. “Do New Hampshire practitioners even know about Vermont’s Act 77 and other related legislation that put career pathways into a very positive light? It will be especially good for us in New Hampshire to hear from and work with people from another state, which has been a fundamental aspect of the Vermont/New Hampshire Career Development Association since its inception in 2016.”
At the workshop, scheduled speakers will include:
- Julie Heinz, Senior Advisor at Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative at Civic Nation, will speak about her work and Transitions
- James Westhoff, NCDA Credentialing
- Ed Colozzi, Career Development and Counseling Services & President of the the Massachusetts CDA – Transitions
- Drew McDowell, Director of Adult Education/Assistant Director at Windham Regional Career Center – Workforce technologies and expanding the post-Secondary landscape
“The focus of the event with invites sent out throughout New Hampshire and Vermont is to get educators with a stake in developing career development competencies in their school and district engaged in best-practice conversations,” said Cullen. “It all complements the contemporary effort of developing robust career pathways across the region and across the ‘great divide,’ which is high school graduation.”
Noting one of the other central themes of the workshop relates to asking and answering, “How much are we operating with educators ‘across-the-border’ in ways that are earnestly considered collaborative?” Cullen cited other important concepts.
“We also want participants to hear a bit from Washington and the Reach Higher initiative, as it relates to understanding metrics being used throughout the U.S. that measure college ‘engagement’ and ‘retention’ rates,’” he said. “These are tactical measures that can translate into big-picture economic development gains if the efforts behind the metrics have follow-through and support.”
To register for the workshop, which includes breakfast and lunch, click or to register, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftW8V69tUPX4bj_CWKAcNwP2F41F8io4FkXur5bfD8EvAUog/viewform.
To learn more about the VTNHCDA, visit https://vtnhcda.org.
Jan 24, 2018 | Article
Traditional educational approaches often focus on theory as opposed to practical application, which does not define STEM CTE programs, according to Frank Xydias, engineering instructor at Milford High School & Applied Technology Center in Milford.
“Many of the problems we solve in STEM classes are open-ended and grounded in solving real-world problems,” he said.
Such real-world problems often involve the needs of real people, which was precisely the case with Morgan Peterson, a 11-year-old middle school student, who last year presented Xydias and his students with a unique opportunity.
“I met Morgan’s mom at one of our STEAM nights, and she told me about her daughter’s issues with riding a bike,” he said. “Morgan has a prosthetic arm and her bike adaptor made riding her bike in comfort just about impossible.”
In approaching Xydias about the possibility his students could solve her daughter’s problem, Meg Peterson, who works in the district as a Title 1 Coordinator at the elementary level, said she was excited at the prospect.
“My husband and I had talked about it, and I began to wonder if Frank and the kids could work on building her an adaptor for her bike,” she said. “He floated the idea to the students and they were very enthusiastic about it.”
No one, however, was more enthusiastic than Morgan herself provided Xydias and the students satisfied her one condition.
“My first reaction was that I wanted to work with them,” she said.
She did work with them, according to her mom, who said it was “pretty amazing” to see her daughter work and interact with high school students.
“It was great to see her just walking around with those high school students—it was like a think tank thing,” she said.
According to Meg, the students and her daughter designed solutions that were consequently printed via a 3D printer. Noting the team produced several iterations up the adaptor before the final version, Meg said the entire process was “incredible” and serves to bolster her belief in the power of STEM and STEAM in general.
“Those STEAM events bring out the most diverse amount of students—and it’s not just robotics or certain kind of students,” she said. STEAM is for everyone…It’s great to see kids finding their niche early, solving problems and stretching themselves in new and different ways. It’s wonderful to see kids find their passion in this area.”
Citing her own interest in pursuing CTE in either manufacturing or the culinary arts when she is in high school, Morgan said the best thing about her collaboration with Xydias’ team is that she loves to ride her bike.
“It works great,” she said. “I can ride it as long as I want—it never hurt my shoulder.”
As for what advice she might give other students her age who might be thinking about their respective futures, Morgan said CTE taught her something very important.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, you can always find a way to solve the problem,” she said.
Jan 17, 2018 | Article
One of the biggest challenges facing employers today is how to connect with today’s students to create a working employment pipeline. This challenge may have been ameliorated recently with a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division ruling on January 5, which provides less stringent guidelines regarding internships.
According to Doug Cullen of Pinkerton Academy, the most notable change is the elimination of the statement, “The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern.”
“That statement has historically been a big hurdle for many employers apprehensive to bring on unpaid interns,” he said. “It’s a big win for employers across New Hampshire and the nation.”
While noting that employer-provided work experiences need to maintain their educational focus, Cullen noted that the current mandates should provide employers with many new opportunities.
“I think they are going to be able to look at schools with a much more creative eye and much less fear of crossing into illegal territory,” he said.
To learn more about the ruling and internship programs under current law, visit https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf.
Other recent developments in the state include a new website by the NH Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP), which was designed to help streamline the process by which students connect-to-industry. The rationale for the site is as follows:
“NH MEP has always been committed to helping build the future manufacturing workforce in New Hampshire. But we know high school, middle school and community college students in New Hampshire, who are looking for a career in or learning about manufacturing, are finding it difficult to find those jobs and internships. This has led NH MEP to create a new web portal to help you and your students search for manufacturing jobs and internships. The portal can also help you schedule a visit with a New Hampshire manufacturer.”
On the site, students can search for jobs and internships from qualified New Hampshire manufacturers. For more information, visit www.nhmepworksource.com.
Jan 4, 2018 | Article
In early December, dozens of school counselors, school board members and administrators attended an Informational Industry Tour at the Seacoast School of Technology (SST) in Exeter. At this event, the focus was on the Restaurant, Hotel and Hospitality Industry, according to Equity Counselor Sharon Spooner.
“Our aim for providing this tour was for school counselors, administrators and anyone working with students to have a better understanding of all the possible career opportunities that exist in this fields,” she said.
Last month, SST provided a bus for counselors and school board members to take a tour of the Automobile Industry.
“We toured two different local dealerships and were introduced to the many different career opportunities that exist in that industry,” she said. “It’s not just the sales people or the technicians, but also in the areas of service, diagnosis, parts, computer technicians and so on–these are all well paying jobs that they need people to fill.”
At The Exeter Inn and Epoch Restaurant & Bar, which is where December’s tour was held, General Manager Thomas DeSisto spoke about the qualities they look for in employees as well as his own story and how his experiences early in life helped shape him.
“Having a chance to educate counselors and others about what we do and the scope of available career paths from entry level to senior management is very exciting,” he said.
Justin York, school counselor at Newmarket High School, said these tours provide him and others with a “behind the scenes look at industries that on the surface may have historically had a reputation as being less-than-glamorous.”
“We get to talk with people who have different roles at these locations, learn about what they do, the paths that brought them there, and how our students can follow a similar path to be successful,” he said.
Noting the group met with DeSisto, the Director of Sales and Catering, and the Head Chef, York said each provided an overview of the different career opportunities available at The Exeter Inn and Epoch Restaurant & Bar and how our students can access careers in the Hospitality industry.
“Growing up in Exeter, I had been to The Exeter Inn a number of times, but it was fun to see some of the areas that are normally ‘off limits’ to guests,” he said. “They really have a first class operation over there, and I think it could be a great fit for some of our students.”
In looking ahead, York said he uses his experiences from these tours to have “more robust discussions” with students about what a career looks like in these industries.
“My hope is that students will begin to understand that there are excellent opportunities for lucrative careers in these industries all around the Seacoast,” he added.
In commenting on the success of December’s tour, DeSisto expressed appreciation at SST’s larger role in the community.
“In a day and age where so much onus is put on higher education, even though the cost of higher education continues to rise, SST provides their students with knowledge and skills that allow them to enter the work force immediately after they graduate–if not before–without the burden of debt that can be crushing at such a young age,” he explained.
He said SST and other Career and Technical Schools serve an even more critical role given the state’s all-time low employment rate.
“Having an influx of hungry entry level workers into the thin applicant pool is great for all local businesses,” he added.
To learn more about The Exeter Inn and Epoch Restaurant & Bar, which is owned by Hay Creek Hotels, visit https://www.theexeterinn.com. To learn more about SST, visit https://www.seacoasttech.com.
Dec 8, 2017 | Article
With NH currently facing a workforce shortage that is only expected to grow more serious in the next few years, the HR State Council of New Hampshire has become an increasingly important and vocal resource.
“Our focus is to support the HR community through legislative efforts, networking events and a variety of HR related initiatives, including workforce readiness,” said Tim Dabrieo, Director, HR State Council of New Hampshire.
In discussing the connection between HR professionals and workforce development issues, Dabrieo said they are the ones who “do the hiring.”
“They can’t find people,” he said. “We need to get HR professionals past today and thinking about three years from now.”
According to Robyn Chadwick, Director of Workforce Readiness, an initiative of the HR State Council, one way to assist the HR community is by helping schools better connect with industry. Career days, she said, represent one such resource.
“These are events where employers can come into schools and discuss what they do, what they need, and opportunities that exist right now at their company,” she said. “These events are increasingly important resources for schools and industry.”
Dabrieo agreed and said another area of focus for the HR State Council is to help secondary schools develop meaningful internships and work-based opportunities for students.
“We want to help employers take a more active role in helping develop curriculums that meet workforce needs—whether it is in healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing or other key industries,” he said.
Chadwick added, “It’s about career pathways and sparking that interest in students.”
In addition to helping connect industry leaders with educators, Chadwick said the HR State Council hosts numerous workforce readiness presentations for students.
“They run the full gamut—from how to do a handshake to resume writing, how to dress, set up a LinkedIn profile, create a proper email address or set up appropriate social media accounts,” she said. “We do mock interviews, too.”
In looking to the future, Chadwick said they the HR State Council is part of a broader HR-focused statewide initiative.
“We have educators, industry leaders, and other stakeholders working together and sharing resources to meet the workforce needs of today and tomorrow,” she said. “We can’t work in silos.”
An affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the HR Council is joined in this collaborative effort by Manchester Area Human Resource Association (MAHRA), Seacoast Human Resource Association (SHRA) and other SHRM Chapters across the state as well as BIA of NH, Reaching Higher NH, Stay, Work Play, NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs and the Department of Education among others.
As part of this group, which is currently divided into various task forces that will analyze and develop possible solutions to the workforce development gaps that face NH, Chadwick expressed optimism about a possible summit next summer.
“We want to bring teachers in and businesses together to help educate teachers on what really happens day to day inside their businesses what they do,” she said. “We need industry and educators working together to build curricula that align with career opportunities available to the incoming workforce.”
According to Chadwick, the need for collaborative, HR-focused solutions is not theoretical either.
“I’m the Human Resources Manager at Normandeau Associates, a national environmental consulting firm, and I see the need for these solutions today,” she said. “We need young professionals to stay here and keep working here.”
Dabrieo added, “We have talked to CEOs and presidents, and they are all facing hiring challenges…The role of the HR State Council is to help facilitate conversations between industry and educators. We don’t need to reinvent any wheels. We have resources. We just need to let the right people know about them.”
To learn more about the HR State Council of New Hampshire, visit https://nhstatecouncil.shrm.org.
