STEFAN CZAPOROWSKI
It’s been some time since I featured one of Westfield Vocational Technical High School’s career-technical programs in this column. For that reason, this month I would like to take a closer look at the Electrical Wiring Program. Our Electrical Wiring curriculum is designed to provide students with the knowledge and expertise in their trade necessary to become an electrical apprentice and to prepare them for work with a company or electrical contractor. Upon completion of our program, students will have approximately 1800 work hours and 300 class room hours that apply toward their requirements for the journeyman license exam. Working closely with local businesses like Elm Electric, Westfield Gas and Electric, Graybar Electrical Supply, DAS Alarms, the Local 7 Electrical Union, and ITS Control, our students gain valuable on the job experience that prepares them to go right to work in their field.
Our electrical program is divided in two areas: theory and law, and hands on practical applications. Recent additions to our curriculum include work with solar energy, fire alarm training, and (PLC) Programmable Logic Control. Our students will now have the chance to work on our new PLC trainer to design wiring systems using a computer for manufacturing and industrial plants. They also have the opportunity to perform live work out in the community. This past year alone, students installed new cove lighting in the Westfield Athenaeum Arts Center and serviced light fixtures throughout the entire building. Our students also installed the CAT 5 wiring needed for WiFi networks at Highland, Papermill, and Munger Hill Elementary Schools as well as North Middle School and South Middle School. This year at WVTHS, our Electrical Wiring students started up a new service and wiring of the new greenhouse in Ornamental Horticulture, set up internet access for 16 computers in our science lab, and routinely perform most of our electrical service and maintenance needs throughout the building. In addition to our students getting real world experience, this work saves the City of Westfield a considerable amount of money.
Finally, students in our Electrical Wiring program complete projects for local residents as well, including service upgrades and the wiring of finished basements and home additions. Most recently, our students installed the wiring for a garage that was built by our own Construction Technology students. For more information about our Electrical Wiring program or to see if our students might be able to assist with your residential electrical project, please call Gary Martineau, lead instructor, at 413-572-6533 at extension 60210.
Stefan Czaporowski
Principal
Westfield Vocational Technical High School
