Community College Articulation Agreements Offer SSVT Students College Credit for High School Work!

Hello SSVT Community,

For several years, vocational students have been allowed to use their high school vocational credits at Massachusetts community colleges to count for college credit as well.  It only makes sense for a vocational high school graduate to skip over the introductory courses that have been mastered in high school, and allow the student to save some money and continue to be challenged in post-secondary studies.

A few years back, the state community colleges made this process much more efficient by establishing statewide articulation agreements for students who graduate from particular vocational programs.

So for instance, an agreement that applies to HVAC-R would cover our HVAC-R students who wish to attend Massasoit and any other community college in MA that offers a HVAC-R program.

In November 2014, the state community colleges agreed to a new slate of articulation agreements in Hospitality Management; Business Technology; Health Assisting; Medical Assisting, Carpentry, HVAC-R and Machine Tool Technology.  

At SSVT these new agreements would apply to students in Allied Health, Carpentry, HVAC and PMT.

When coupled with the previously existing articulation agreements from a few years back, it means SSVT graduates will have an opportunity to access articulated community college credits if they are majoring in:

Allied Health

Automotive

Carpentry

CIT

Culinary

Drafting

HVAC-R 

PMT

I would urge students to evaluate their options with their parents and their guidance counselors.  This might be a worthwhile option and a part of your career plan.  

For more information, take a look at the links below:

Here is the link to the Mass Community College website:  

On this page there is a checklist showing what our students would need to do if they wanted to pursue this option.  

Good luck!

---Mr. Hickey

Metal Fabrication & Welding Juniors Learn About Apprenticeship Opportunities

Hello SSVT Community.

Students in many of our programs are being trained in skills that make them excellent candidates for apprenticeship opportunities after graduation. Apprenticeships are paid working and learning opportunities that can lead to industry credentials and excellent wages and benefits.

Last week, our Metal Fabrication & Welding instructor Mr. Mello took his 11th graders to Local 17 in Dorchester to learn more about its apprenticeship program.  This is a competitive process where the Local accepts about 50 people per year (ages 18-45). Apprentices learn advanced trade skills in the classroom and then go to work in an alternating week schedule.  It is clear that our graduates would be strong candidates for these types of opportunities, but it requires a serious commitment!

Mr. Mello filled me in on the different apprenticeship options and opportunities for our students (and this is not necessarily limited to MFW students).  Here is what Mr. Mello told me:

Ultimately for a student to decide which union they would like to join really depends on what type of work that student enjoys. With the MFW shop, students can also join Local 7 Ironworkers Union, Local 537 Pipefitters union, Local 4 Elevator Union, and also Local 104 Linemen's Union. All of these unions need welders and fabricators. Some of the above unions will also allow the students to learn other trades as well. (For example, Local 104 works with high tension lines (electricity over 500 volts). In situations like this they generally have weld aluminum pipes that carry the current because the copper wire cannot handle the resistance running through it.)

What benefits students from a vocational school versus a traditional high school is that they have already gained 3.5 years of experience. Unions like this because the students tend to catch on quicker and retain more making it easier for them to produce quality workers. 

Vocational students also know what is expected of them on day one: Showing up on time, not calling in sick because you have the sniffles, knowing how to read a ruler, knowing how dangerous machinery is and what to look for on the safety side. All of these little things stick out during the interview/selection process.

Our MFW Junior class sporting Local 17 T-shirts

Students tour the facility

SSVT Graduate Ryan Lofgren (MFW Class of 2011) is in the
Local 17 Apprenticeship Program.  Good luck Ryan!

Apprenticeships are an excellent example of post-high school learning and working that does not involve college enrollment. Not everyone needs to enroll in college, but we all need to get additional training in some form to advance our skills!

I urge students to ask your vocational teachers and guidance counselors about apprenticeship opportunities!

---Mr. Hickey

Culinary Arts Students Appear on Local Cable Show

Hello SSVT Community,

Congratulations and thanks to Marylouise Jepsen and James Andrasy for appearing a couple of weeks ago on Whitman and Hanson Local Cable show "Cross Talk" with host Kevin Tocci.

Marylouise and James discussed their experience with choosing Culinary and how much they have learned over the past few years.  We even touched upon the Culinary Arts Pie Day tradition and how much works goes into offering pies to the community just before Thanksgiving.

Marylouise and James also talked about their interests and school activities and their future plans for college and work.  They are great ambassadors for our school!

Suggestion: If you have trouble sleeping, then be sure to watch the segments where I am talking...

The show can be found at http://ssvotech.blogspot.com/

Thanks again to Marylouise and James and our Culinary teachers and students!

---Mr. Hickey

Carpentry Students Concession Stand Work is Underway

Hello SSVT Community,

What does one day of hard work produce?  Take a look at what the Carpentry Seniors accomplished!

Here are some pictures from Tuesday morning, December 16th.

Here is where they finished up at the end of the day!

What contributed to the Seniors' efficiency was the great prep work that the Carpentry Juniors completed in the previous shops week.  Mr. Burke tells me that the Juniors hand picked the stock and laid out and constructed all of the door and window openings.

Carpentry Juniors William McGarry, Bret Underwood, Adrienne Wood,
Tom Horan, Zach Meehan, and Andrew Onessimo get the concession stand
construction started!

Keep up the great work!

---Mr. Hickey

Culinary Arts Represents SSVT at Rockland Holiday Stroll

Hello SSVT Community,

With great energy and enthusiasm, Culinary Arts students participated in the Rockland Holiday Stroll this year.  The stroll is an annual event held over Thanksgiving weekend where the town shuts down its main street and allows citizens to mingle with holiday music and various booths.

We had many SSVT alumni and students stop by to sample Culinary's hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies.

The students had enough energy to yell well into the evening that we were giving out hot cocoa and cookies with lids on the cups.  Those lids, while seemingly unimportant, were much appreciated by families with young children!

Students Mariah Mazzilli, Britnee Newell, Brooklyn Speed,
Kelly O'Sullivan and Carissa Rountry set up for the event.

The cookies and cocoa lasted until dark!

A very special thank you to Culinary instructor Mrs. Cunniff for overseeing this entire operation from beginning to end.  Mrs. Cunniff and the students have a great working relationship and it was another proud moment for us.  It was also an opportunity to give back to Rockland, a great town that continues to support SSVT and its students.

An additional special thank you to SSVT School Council member Bob Mahoney for helping us arrange our participation in the event!

---Mr. Hickey