WESTFIELD – As a part of the annual joint meeting of the Westfield School Committee and Westfield Technical Academy’s Advisory Committee on Monday, members split up to take a tour of different shops. The Technical Academy has twelve career technical programs in all.
WTA General Advisory Chairman Ed Watson joined Principal Stefan Czaporowski and Westfield School Committee Vice-chairman Ramon Diaz. Jr. in the manufacturing technology department. Lead teacher Gary Nadeau introduced business leaders who were present, many of whom have hired students from the program.
Nadeau said that this year is the first year in the past 13 that the program has not been full, with only 11 students selected out of 16 slots. He acknowledged that the Aviation Maintenance Training may have drawn some potential students from the shop.
“I kind of want to transfer up there myself,” Nadeau joked. He said that his program is vital to manufacturing in the region, and has 100 percent co-op placement in local businesses and a waiting list of companies.
He said that students are being taught on modern technology and can receive FANUC CNC (Computer Numeric Control) certifications, but having all the high-tech equipment and software means needing to maintain the equipment, where there is a shortage of funds available.
“From our standpoint, it’s time to see if we can get more of that money in here,” Nadeau said.
“We’re only allotted a budget,” Diaz said, acknowledging the struggle. “We know this is one of those areas we want to concentrate on. Last year was a really bad year. We had to let go of 26 teachers.”
Diaz said he understood the demands of the program and the School Committee just needed to get the money to invest in it.
“This program is the cornerstone of this school,” Watson said. “We need to get those numbers up.”
In construction technology, lead teacher Brian Falcetti told a similar story regarding a lack of funds for materials and supplies and tool maintenance. He said that 23 freshmen chose construction as their first shop, and there are 100 students in the program overall.
In the past, the Construction Technology program has been able to raise money for supplies through paid jobs in the community. For the past three years they were busy building the pavilion in the town center, for which they were not paid, Falcetti said.
One industry guest in the room called it “$100,000 worth of work that Voc did for the city for nothing.”
“Standing on the outside looking in, you guys can generate money,” Watson said. “Instead of doing all this free work for the city, let’s not do it.”
Czaporowski said by law each shop can only raise $15,000 per year.
The construction shop does have a new Laguna CNC machine purchased through a $35,000 Perkins grant which will be online in several weeks. Instructor Ed Gomes said the machine can be used in sign making and cabinet making, and “works the same on Friday as on a Monday after a tough football loss.”
He said the machine is able to cut every part for an entire set of cabinets.
“This is the direction that the shops are going,” Gomes said.
David Dion, instructor for the horticulture program said his shop is able to raise money through its sales of pointsettias and spring plants. They also have a walkway and patio project that is able to receive donations, and are looking to get back into doing that in the spring, according to Dion.
The shop recently landscaped the new senior center, both inside and out, as well as building a new retaining wall and replanting the side entrance of City Hall. The students are also working on landscaping at WTA.
Some new plans include planting a fruit garden outside of the manufacturing shop, for which they received two small grants. They are also looking to purchase new equipment and are seeking grants.
“We need something for landscape maintenance,” Dion said.
Dion said they would also like to add an agricultural mechanics component to the shop, which would include diesel mechanics, carpentry and welding, an idea which intrigued Watson and Czaporowski.
“We are always looking for shops that differentiate us from other programs,” Watson said.
“We want to stay current,” Czaporowski said.
Information Technology lead teacher Jeff Richardson said that all of the computers had been replaced in his shop over the last three years. They are interested in participating in the CyberPatriot Competition, a national high school cyber defense competition intended to create interest in young people considering cyber security as a professional and educational choice.
“Nobody west of 128 is doing the competition,” Richardson said. The shop is seeking a professional in the field to sponsor the students.
“Somebody who knows security,” Richardson said. “Who is willing to bring that knowledge to our kids.”
Seventeen freshmen chose information technology this year, out of a total enrollment of 55.
“The reality is, this class could be 110 kids,” Watson said, noting that IT is in the top ten of most growth careers, and software development in the top five.
“Not with the size of our school,” Czaporowski said.
Richardson mentioned Governor Charles Baker’s pledge to increase funding to vocational schools in his State of the State address on Friday.
“We’ll see what happens,” Czaporowski said.
