Good Morning!
Great news to share this morning--Vantage Career Center was honored with the annual Crystal Image award, presented by the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce! The award was presented last night during the annual Chamber awards dinner. Adult Education Director Pete Prichard and public relations coordinator, MaryJo Wilhelm attended on my behalf to accept the award. As luck would have it, our regular Board of Education meeting was moved to the same evening,to award bids for the early site work and temporary swing space, making attendance by several Vantage stakeholders and myself impossible. The award will be displayed in our high school and adult education office area for now.
Vantage appreciates the award, which is given for outstanding leadership in the community, including business responsibility, productivity, empowerment, and service. We are pleased to contribute to the community in so many ways, through our staff's service on various community boards, and our students' work in the community as they apply their career technical skills to help others. Thank you, Van Wert! Vantage truly enjoys contributing to the Van Wert community and the support we receive.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
February 4, 2011
Is anyone tired of winter yet? I have enjoyed winter and all the snow so far, but ice wears me out! The numerous delays mixed with a few closures have provided some extra quiet work time in the office, and by the end of today, I know I can call it a very productive week!
Adult Education director, Pete Prichard and I have been working on plans for new adult programming in the Heating Ventilation and Cooling area, which will also have a pathway to coursework and a postsecondary degree in Alternative Energy. Our postsecondary partners will be Northwest State Community College and Owens State Community College. Industry certification will be sought in appropriate areas of alternative energy and wind turbine repair. Curriculum pathways are being laid out, equipment and instructional resources identified.
More good news came this week in the form of nearly finalize agreements with two area wind farms who will partner with Vantage and our postsecondary institutions as we develop the Alternative Energy Academy within the adult education program. The foundation skills for jobs in alternative energy already exist in both electrical trades and HVAC, and after a solid base of skills in one or both of these areas is attained, coursework in alternative energy, such as geothermal design, energy audits, and wind turbine repair can be completed. In addition to HVAC, a more rigorous electricity program will be offered to fully prepare students for work more jobs in this field. More news will be posted soon as plans develop further!
Many thanks to Pete Prichard for his interest in expanding the adult education program to offer full-time training which will be Pell grant eligible for financial aid for our adult students. Financial aid staff person Jackie Gunsett, has long been a proponent of more full-time programs as financial aid eligibility, which goes with full time programming, helps to keep enrollment strong and increases the chance that the program will flourish. Thanks Jackie for your commitment to Vantage program success!
One last thought--bring on more winter if it helps me get more project work like this completed! (And let's see if that groundhog was right--I don't think so).
Adult Education director, Pete Prichard and I have been working on plans for new adult programming in the Heating Ventilation and Cooling area, which will also have a pathway to coursework and a postsecondary degree in Alternative Energy. Our postsecondary partners will be Northwest State Community College and Owens State Community College. Industry certification will be sought in appropriate areas of alternative energy and wind turbine repair. Curriculum pathways are being laid out, equipment and instructional resources identified.
More good news came this week in the form of nearly finalize agreements with two area wind farms who will partner with Vantage and our postsecondary institutions as we develop the Alternative Energy Academy within the adult education program. The foundation skills for jobs in alternative energy already exist in both electrical trades and HVAC, and after a solid base of skills in one or both of these areas is attained, coursework in alternative energy, such as geothermal design, energy audits, and wind turbine repair can be completed. In addition to HVAC, a more rigorous electricity program will be offered to fully prepare students for work more jobs in this field. More news will be posted soon as plans develop further!
Many thanks to Pete Prichard for his interest in expanding the adult education program to offer full-time training which will be Pell grant eligible for financial aid for our adult students. Financial aid staff person Jackie Gunsett, has long been a proponent of more full-time programs as financial aid eligibility, which goes with full time programming, helps to keep enrollment strong and increases the chance that the program will flourish. Thanks Jackie for your commitment to Vantage program success!
One last thought--bring on more winter if it helps me get more project work like this completed! (And let's see if that groundhog was right--I don't think so).
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