October 15, 2010

I hope everyone has had a chance to enjoy this fall's beautiful weather! While the autumn colors aren't the best I have ever seen, the mild temperatures have been terrific.

Next week Vantage will host the annual Advisory Committee banquet, where our training programs' advisory committees give input to our teachers. Business and industry volunteers graciously give their time to advise our teachers on the required skills and equipment which would be wise for up-to-date student preparation for the work force. We encourage our staff to do more listening than talking on October 19, when these committees meet.

While it is necessary to update our advisory committees on what students are experiencing during training, the event will not serve its purpose if committee members are not encouraged to voice their opinion on curriculum and methods of training. The annual advisory banquet and building-wide meetings illustrate a pertinent link to the real world. All of our committee members should feel their viewpoint is listened to, and that they are part of a problem-solving committee to guide our staff toward delivering the most effective training for our region's employers.

Career-technical education has a proud heritage of linking education with the real world. It is one of the factors which has been reinforced to Ohio's leadership in both government and education. In fact it is one reason that Ohio received Race to the Top funds, causing a small portion of these federal funds to be earmarked for Ohio's career-technical education advancement. While legislators and educators discuss the state's budget crisis, one refreshing fact surfaces: Career technical education is a resource to utilize for training as jobs, which were non-existent years ago, are now created in new technology fields. The skilled labor shortage can be addressed by career centers maintaining connections with area employers and adapting training programs as skills change. Vantage Career Center will continue to be active in this effort, and we encourage local business and industry representatives to contact us, so that they may represent their field on one of our advisory boards. It is vital that we remain aware of workforce needs in our school district and surrounding region.