The Spring 2013 edition of the CTE Spotlight newsletter from the Department of Education is now available on-line. The latest issue of the PDF publication includes:

• Queens Vocational Students Spark Rebuilding Effort in Breezy Point by Nicholas C. Martinez
• Looking Back to Move Forward: Industrial Arts’ Role Within Career and Technical Eduction by Frank Mazza
• Mid-Winter Conference Puts “CTE at the Core”by David Fischer
• NYC High School Students Turn Flour Into Gold

For more information or to suggest story ideas for future issues, please email editor Nicholas Martinez.

A story by Ben Chapman on page 32 of today’s New York Daily News describes the expansion of technical education schools in the last decade. The home page teaser reads:

Minds, money behind social media leading the technical school revolution in New York

Blue-collar jobs after technical education are becoming history as new academies and programs focus on computer programming, robotics and higher education.

I don’t think non-computer jobs are becoming history, but it’s nice to get mainstream coverage of some of the good that’s going on in CTE schools. Link it, tweet it and email this story to all the people you know who are interested in practical education in New York.

The New York City District Council of Carpenters Labor Technical College posts this invitation to a great CTE event:

JOIN US FOR THE 44TH ANNUAL

New York Citywide

Graduating Apprentice

Contest – Exhibits – Open House

Wednesday, March 27th, 2013

8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Come in and see exhibits and demonstrations by manufacturers of the latest technologies, tools and materials. Learn “What’s New” in the industry or simply come in and enjoy an interesting day.
All are welcome.

Trade Apprenticeship Application Information

Handouts ~ Giveaways ~ Raffles

Location: 395 Hudson Street

Please use the Clarkson Street Entrance

A High School of Art and Design student created a dress made of plastic bags filled with fish in the Materials Matter Amazing Art Challenge sponsored by Ripley’s Believe or Not Odditorium in Times Square. (The 11th grade student in Ms. Farrelly’s fashion design class used plastic fish instead of real ones.) Reporter Karen Jones wrote the story for the New York Times.

A model of school/industry collaboration, the AYES  business and education partnership has been recognized by the US Department of Education for its part in raising the rigor of Career & Technical Education. The AYES program combines the resources of automotive manufacturers, automotive dealership associations, state and local departments of education and employers in the local community to create a school-to-career process, based on the European apprenticeship model.

For the last few years, Stephen Mercaldo, GYNADA’s education and training consultant and the New York State AYES manager, worked with school staff to bring the automotive technology program in line with industry standards. Edison earned National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) certification in 2011 and AYES certification this month. The goal of the AYES initiative is to develop career-ready, entry-level automotive technicians and service personnel. Students enrolled in an AYES certified high school automotive technology program are presented opportunities and guidance to explore automotive careers, and they are given the tools and support they need to learn, develop and practice the technical, academic and employability skills needed for success.

The capstone of the AYES model is a 320-hour workplace internship, usually during the summer between the junior and senior year, where working beside a trained and qualified mentor (ASE certified automotive technician) the student prepares for entry-level career positions or advanced studies in automotive technology.

AYES certified schools have access to an industry endorsed curriculum, manufacturer technical information, manufacturer specific technical training, interactive website, publications, assistance with AYES program delivery, donations, scholarships and mentor/student training. Edison automotive technology instructors are certified by Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), an independent non-profit organization that works to improve the quality of auto repair and service by testing and certifying automotive technicians.

Thomas Edison has an enrollment of over 2,800 students. Students take required academic courses in their freshman year and at the end of the year choose one of ten career and technical tracks to pursue in grades 10 to 12. Over two hundred students are enrolled in the automotive technology program.

Acclaimed fashion entrepreneur and CTE alumnus Tommy Hilfiger visited students and faculty at the High School of Fashion Industries in Manhattan recently, accompanied by Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott. The event was covered by reporter Mathew Katz in an article in DNAinfo.com. Born upstate in Elmira, New York, Hilfiger was studying at the GST BOCES school when he opened his first company. From Katz’s report:

The designer, who started what would become the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation when he was still in high school, told the aspiring designers that their best bet to get a foot in the door in the fashion world is to work at a retail clothing store.

“You will learn so much. You will learn that every customer has a different request,” he said.

“That, I think, is a great education.”

 Read the full article and see the slideshow at DNAinfo.com.

David Sarno, veteran automotive technology teacher at Ralph McKee High School in Staten Island, and Jacqueline Rodriguez-Smith, science department coordinator at Transit Tech High School in Brooklyn, each received the 2013 Stanley Schair CTE Teacher Award for Excellence and Innovation presented during the United Federation of Teachers CTE Awards Ceremony on February 7.  Both honorees received an Apple iPad from Corey Fernandes of the Municipal Credit Union plus a year’s classroom subscription to the New York Times from Stephanie Doba, the newspaper’s education manager.

Stanley Schair was the long-time chair of the CTE Council during some tough times for career and technical education. His tenure culminated in the landmark Mayoral Task Force on CTE that energized the current generation of technical education and saw the inauguration of many new CTE high schools in New York City. Mr. Schair passed away suddenly in 2009, but his widow Sandra was on hand for the awards ceremony

The Schair Award is given every year to exceptional New York City teachers who have demonstrated excellence in delivering a career and technical education program and who create innovative approaches in the classroom in partnerships with business, the community and post-secondary pathways.  See the Schair Awards nomination form. 

Students from Bayside High School got invaluable experience in engineering and energy efficiency through internships with the New York City Department of Education Division of School Facilities and its non-profit partner, Solar One. Funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, Solar One arranged for engineers from the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to mentor and supervise the students through an analysis of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) at two NYCDOE buildings in Queens,  the Susan B. Anthony School and the Edward Hart School.

During their internships, students were taught how to read technical drawings, level II Energy Audit Reports and NYPA Project Reports. After learning the ropes, the interns performed an energy audit of their own high school and analyzed the energy savings opportunities for all of the school;s mechanical and electrical systems. Students submitted their report to the school’s administration and presented their findings at NYPA’s headquarters.

The Selective Corporate Internship Program (SCIP) will hold its 16th anniversary celebration “An Evening with the Stars” at the Battery Gardens inside Battery Park on March 7 from 6:30 to 10:30 pm. The SCIP program provides bright, promising New York and New Jersey high school students with corporate mentoring, leadership development and internship opportunities to gain valuable business skills. 

The Evening with the Stars dinner honors executives and their organizations that support SCIP’s  program:  Desiree Dancy, chief diversity officer and vice president of corporate HR,  New York Times (Corporation Of The Year Award); Sterling Roberson, vice president, United Federation of Teachers  (Leadership Of The Year Award);  Lynda Ireland, president and CEO, the NY&NJ Minority Supplier Development Council  (Humanitarian Of The Year Award); and Albert Ruiz, president, Urban Studio Motion and Print (Partnership Of The Year Award). The event is chaired by Mark Szollar of the  New York Times.

“We give these awards annually to individuals who have distinguished themselves and their companies by successfully demonstrating a strong commitment to service,” says SCIP Co-Founder Monica Mancebo.The gala also recognizes SCIP alumni. This year’s Ambassador Of The Year Honorees are Rima Abdelkader, journalist at NBC, and Francois Cedoit, auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The emcee for the evening is Pierre Salamon, vice president, Global Training and Brand Development, Victorinox, Switzerland. Major supporters include: The New York Times, the United Federation Of Teachers, Paul Volker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, Victorinox Swiss Army, Clarins Fragrance Group, American Express, Pfizer, USTA, Thierry Mugler, HACR, PRIMER, Ernst & Young, Mitchell & Titus, Colgate, IOMA, Urban Studios Motion and Print, Georgetown College, Penn State, Rutgers University, Time Warner, NBC, PWC, New York Life, JPMorgan Chase, Staples, Target and Electrolux.

For more information, call Miguel Mancebo at 646-236-4289 or email Miguel@jobfirm.com.

On January 28, over 500 CTE teachers, administrators and paraprofessionals attended CTE at the Core, a professional development conference and networking event for CTE professionals, a gathering of the CTE community and a celebratory launch of National CTE Month. The unique event was a four way collaboration between the New York City Department of Education, the United Federation of Teachers, the New York State CTE Technical Assistance Center and the Advisory Council for Career & Technical Education. Education leaders, national experts, industry partners and teachers joined in an interactive day of panels, workshops and lectures designed to improve CTE programs citywide.

The on-line Conference Program includes the day’s schedule, information about the speakers and links to handouts, worksheets and other resources. Conference attendees were invited to assess the event through a web evaluation form.