[TheForge] OT school waste

[ries]

I wonder if this is one of those things where the midwest is always ten years behind the coast-
Here in Washington State (a high tax, left wing place, for sure) we have shop classes in all 3 of the high schools my kids have gone to, including wood, metal, cnc, and ag/machinery repair.
CNC routers, mostly, but basic machining and welding still at the high schools as well.

And our county just got a brand new trades campus, which is a co-operative venture of the schools and the community college- they do this thing here called running start, where high school kids can take college classes, and we just built this new Marine trades campus, which is specifically to teach trades for local industry.
In the next county up, we have a really good trades college that also takes a lot of high school kids, with a brand new multimillion dollar welding and metal shop, a separate cnc/technology program, and a waiting list. Its a community college, too, so very cheap.

What we see is that due to the high cost and technical nature of todays metal working, it makes sense to specialize at the community colleges, but run the high school kids thru there too. Its not uncommon around here for a high school senior to have half the credits needed for a two year AA degree in Auto body, or welding, or machining, by the time he graduates.

Maybe in ten years you guys will wake up, and start building these things.

ries



On Mar 25, 2011, at 10:51 AM, Bob Ehrenberger wrote:

When a friend retired from GM in St Louis he moved to a small town in 
Northern Missouri.  His wife was a few years younger, and got a job teaching 
in the local school.  They seem to be dismantaling their shop classes.  They 
put stuff up for sale via sealed bids.  My friend has gotten some great 
equipment for practicly give away prices.  You have to wonder if in a few 
years they will decide to offer shop again and have to go out and buy all 
the equipment again at inflated prices.

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net


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Ries Niemi
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http://www.riesniemi.com/