PIQUA — Upper Valley Career Center is widely known for excellence in career and technical education for high school and adult learners. Most people aren’t surprised that industrial training is a growth area in the high school and adult division, but they may not realize that area middle school students are also benefiting from Career Center sponsored courses introducing careers related to manufacturing.
Each school day there are 838 high school juniors and seniors participating in 26 career tech programs on campus in Piqua and another 3,220 students in Upper Valley CC satellite classrooms and labs throughout Miami and Shelby counties. This outstanding success is a tribute to strong relationships and student-focused collaboration with the District’s associate school partners.
A middle School pre-engineering/exploring technologies program was added in Piqua in 2014 and at Troy Junior High School in 2015. These classes provide all students time to actively engage in projects using science, technology, engineering and math principles to solve career-based problems in areas such as manufacturing, construction, robotics and biomedical technologies.
Programming continually evolves to meet the needs of students preparing for college and entry into the local and global job market. The focus of Electronics Technologies has been switched programming industrial robotics. Manufacturing and Machining Technologies has expanded equipment with new mills, two additional Haas CNCs and CNC programming simulators. On-campus Pre-Engineering and Design Technologies students now have access to a maker’s space with multiple prototyping platforms enabling them to bring their digital designs into 3D reality.
Another recent focus has been the expansion of apprenticeship opportunities through Upper Valley Career Center. Last fall the school was the first of now three Certified Pre-Apprenticeship Programs in the State of Ohio. Tony Trapp, High School Apprenticeship Coordinator, and Brandi Olberding, Adult Division Industrial Coordinator, are diligently working with industry partners to increase these learn and earn opportunities throughout the region.
The Adult Division which is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges now provides State supported training services for Registered Apprenticeship program sponsors through a combination of on-the-job training and related technical instruction. “The program can be mutually beneficial by helping the employee/student gain experience while alleviating workforce challenges for the employer/sponsor,” says Olberding.
This real-time, on-the-job learning experience is not only great for the students; it provides a diverse pool of skilled workers for registered employers. Trapp explains, “A high school pre-apprentice spends their junior year learning the fundamentals in a career field of their own choosing. They earn industry credentials and have the support of their CT instructor throughout their senior year.” Trapp goes on to say that some employers have begun sponsoring more than one apprentice to offset the two-week on, two-week off school/work cycle. “It’s working,” he says, “and we love seeing these students succeed at such an outstanding level.” Last school year the 31 young men and women placed in pre apprenticeships through Upper Valley collectively earned over $480,000. Many continue with their employer and are participating in journeymen apprenticeship or pursuing other post-secondary education.