Shawsheen Tech Candidates Q&A: Shawsheen Tech's Role In A Global Economy?

(Editor's Note: This is Part 2 of a three-part Q&A Series for the Shawsheen Tech School Committee candidates -- Incumbent Patricia Meuse and challenger Rick O'Neill.)

Question 2: How has technical education changed in the past 30 years and what is its role in a competitive world economy?

Rick O'Neill

We live in an increasingly complex world dominated by a global economy. Wages are down, good paying jobs are scarce and we worry about how our children will make their way through this ever increasing uncertainty. It is critically important that we, as parents, educators, and responsible citizens, come together to better prepare our children.

Strengthening all aspects of our educational systems and creating high-quality job-training opportunities are necessary to enhance the economic futures of all of our students. Technical schools have responded to this, in part, by focusing on recruiting more academic students and preparing them for further lifelong education experiences.  The transformation of vocational and technical education is essential to developing clear career pathways to equip those students for future success. We must also effectively align our vocational and technical programs with current needs of the marketplace to better equip our students with the skill-sets necessary to prepare them for in “demand occupations and high growth industry sectors.

Critically important to this changing role of technical education, is the commitment that must be made to the future success of all our students who need to strengthen or refresh their basic academic skills in order to fully benefit from integrated technical and academic instruction. Separate “general tracks” should not be created for this purpose; rather academic supports and support services should be provided, such as tutoring and counseling, ensuring student success.

Patrcia Meuse

Education is always changing and Shawsheen modifies or changes its curriculum when necessary.  The administration does a labor market analysis and makes recommendations to the curriculum subcommittee (which I have chaired for 18 years) as to what programs may need to be modified or, as in the case of our diesel program, dropped altogether.  A life science wing was built in order to include new programs in medical assisting and dental assisting.  Recently, Web Page Design and Programming was added to our Internet Technology Program. 

Private sector employers serve on our numerous Craft Advisory Committees.  These employers advise and consult with the teachers and instructors who devise the five year capital budget plan annually.  After the School Committee meets with all those involved including the employers the budget is voted on. 

With over sixty percent of our senior class on co-op Shawsheen has an extreme positive impact in our local economy.  Business owners from 165 businesses in the area employ 190 of our students.  These owners keep in close contact with Shawsheen to help these students get the best possible experience.  To continue in co-op a student must keep up his/her grades, have excellent attendance and discipline, and continue to progress in their chosen occupations.  Seniors work their cooperative jobs during their shop weeks. 

In this global economy the occupation of the majority of workers will require a broader set of skills and knowledge.  Students will be expected to have multiple skills and be able to multi-task.  It is up to the vocational technical high schools such as Shawsheen to meet this challenge.