Minuteman High School Planning Two New
Career and Technical Education Programs
LEXINGTON – It may have been missed during the
debate over construction of a new school, but officials at Minuteman High
School have been quietly planning to open two new career and technical
education programs: Advanced
Manufacturing & Metal Fabrication and Multi-Media Engineering.
They are two of the 16 high-quality career and
technical education programs to be offered in the new school. They are part of an Educational Program Plan
endorsed by the Minuteman School Committee and submitted to the state in the
fall of 2014.
“We’re really excited by these new offerings,”
said Michelle Roche, Director of Career and Technical Education at
Minuteman.
The 40-page Educational Program Plan looked at
six criteria when deciding what programs were most beneficial. Factors included job growth, wage growth, student
interest, emerging occupations, post-secondary alignment, and the presence of
strategic industry partners.
“Both of these programs are supported by the
data,” said Ms. Roche.
Numerous studies have shown that there are
thousands of high-paying jobs currently open in the high-tech manufacturing field
in Massachusetts. The Advanced
Manufacturing & Metal Fabrication program was designed in direct response
to this unmet need. The program will
prepare students for occupations encompassing Mechanical Engineering, Machining,
Manufacturing, Fabrication, and Welding so they can secure high-paying jobs as
welders, solderers, cutters, sheet metal workers, and structural steel workers.
The Multi-Media Engineering program prepares
students for the growing Creative
Industries and provides a variety of career and
college opportunities
in the region. This includes jobs for
audio and visual technicians, film and video editors, video operators,
multi-media artists, sound engineering technicians, riggers, and set
designers. Student interest in
the program is clear.
"There's a genuine career path here,” said
James R. McCartney, a professional stage hand in Boston and training
coordinator for Local 11 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts.
Mr. McCartney said “there’s no question in my
mind” that there is a strong demand for high-quality people with basic
carpentry and electrical skills, and knowledge of digital control systems for
lighting, visual and audio at live performances including theater and concerts
as well as commercial and corporate event planning and training and conference
development. He said there is
“tremendous growth on the corporate side of things”, including fashion shows,
business meetings, marketing conferences, trade shows, and car shows.
“We’re always on the lookout for technicians with
the type of skills you’ll be developing at Minuteman,” said Mr. McCartney. He said it’s “a top priority” for the union.
For those looking for additional training, he
said several area colleges offer degree programs in technical theater.
Both of the new programs will have Program
Advisory Committees, including business and civic leaders, to help guide them. Both will be located in the new Minuteman
High School’s Engineering, Construction and Trades Academy.
Minuteman is an award-winning
regional high school located in Lexington.
The school gives students a competitive advantage in the new economy by
delivering robust academics and powerful career and technical skills.
Minuteman prepares students
for college and career success, with more than 60% of the
school’s graduates typically pursuing a post-secondary education.
