Tech Directions - March 2009 - (Page 16) the factory by bus at 7:30 A.M. three days a week. In a Memorandum of Agreement, the company, unions, and school district signed off on fundamental details, including that “the district provide a New York State-certified technology education teacher for the purpose of instruction and agrees to provide compensation for this teacher.” Students meet as a class to start each day, and every detail is refined to avoid wasting time in the fourhour day. Teams are formed and a rotation schedule established so that everyone gets quality experiences in each career area being explored. In addition to each student’s shadow rotation, guest speakers present daily on topics ranging from employee assistance programs to the effects of NAFTA on American manufacturing. Opening day begins with a formal welcome and introductions by union and management. As in the school setting, the first topic discussed is safety. A virtual tour of the facility heightens awareness of potentially hazardous areas, with subsequent first-person accounts focusing on the value of developing safe work habits in all areas of life. In 12 years of program operation, no serious injury to a student has occurred. Representatives from New Process Gear’s human resources, engineering, and skilled trades introduce their respective areas of expertise. Past graduates of the manufacturing awareness program speak, describing the benefits they’d received from their involvement in the job-shadowing program. Guest speakers engage students in ice-breaker activities, while talking about such concerns as keeping career options open and setting realistic goals. Special attention goes to the idea of learning to recognize opportunity and going after solid careers by learning to make good decisions. The popular shadowing program also provides classroom training in team building and offers a Job Opportunity Day that brings together area two-year and four-year colleges, along with the New York State De- Electronics Lab, CAD Design, Product Engineering, Heat Treat, Manufacturing Engineering, Warranty Returns, Plant Layout, Assembly, Production, and Union/Management Relations. Students rotate through various career areas. At right, a student learns about the work of a CAD designer. Below, a student works in Production using a parts washer. They work with the skilled trades: Electrician, Tinsmith, Carpenter, Tool Room, etc.” Graduation Day Graduation Day showcases student achievement while strengthening ties with the community. Roughly a hundred people attended a recent graduation and consequently learned how the job-shadowing program for high school students functions as an investment in the high tech workforce of tomorrow. Liverpool High School executive principal Greg Avellino told attendees, “It’s an awesome opportunity! Kids think there is no connection between what they learn in school and what they’ll be doing in the world. This program allows them to see that things like math skills are used on the floor everyday.” Avellino said the program remains a success because it provides choices for students who need to learn about options in the world of work and need opportunities for experiential learning. Several New Process Gear employees noted a surprising benefit that they get from working with the kids all summer. “Our workers recall why they like their jobs and why they wanted to work here in the first place,” said Ellen Fanning, senior VAVE (Value Added, Value partment of Labor, so that students can learn the correct way to conduct career-related research. Osmun added, “The students are required to keep a daily journal of their plant experiences and we’re very impressed with the maturity level of this year’s group. Most are very thirsty for knowledge and have enjoyed their time thus far.” Great emphasis also goes to encouraging the development of networking skills—helping students see everyone they meet as a possible future career resource. They hear that making proper eye contact, speaking clearly, and having an appropriate handshake all must be mastered to succeed in the real world. In a mid-course report for the company newsletter, PQI trainer Osmun described the annual summer shadow program, writing that “[D]uring their visit here, the students will spend time shadowing in: Area Planning, Front Test Garage, 16 techdirections ◆ MARCH 2009
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.