Tech workers take first step at high school
By GEORGIA PURDY Newsboy Correspondent

With the growing need for skilled workers, Jasper High School's Carl E. Morgan Career- Technical Education Center is a first step in preparing students for to work in various technical and vocational fields.

Formerly referred to as the vocational department, the words "technical" and "career" have been added over the years to keep up with changes in the workplace that make computer knowledge essential. Careers that do not necessarily require a four-year degree also fall under this umbrella.

Stanley Johnson has been the director of this department for 17 years, and one of his duties is to keep up with demands in the job market.

"There is a boom in the construction industry in the Golden Triangle," Johnson said. "There is a need for welders, pipe fitters, masonry skills, and carpenters. We teach welding and building trades plus students taking Ag mechanics get some training in various building, masonry, and electrical skills."

Current courses offered include the following: auto technology, welding, agricultural science, marketing education, childcare, healthcare science, building trades, business computer information systems, and family and consumer science.

As technology changes, some courses are either adapted or dropped and new ones added. For example, Business Information Systems, a computer class, did not exist until a few years ago.

"Students today need a high level of technical skill," Johnson said. "Welding machines are now digital. Auto technology is another big one. I attended a conference two weeks ago where we discussed what an auto technician has to be able to do. In order to repair today's cars, he must know how to use computerized diagnostic equipment."

Johnson said that at a recent career fair held at the school, the Department of Criminal Justice indicated they need more people and there is a strong need in culinary arts and childcare workers.

"Childcare is still a big need even though the pay is not as high as other jobs, and of course, the need for people in the healthcare field keeps growing," he said. "We already have childcare and health science programs. One field that is really big is Culinary Arts. "We could probably expand and add this program using existing teachers. We hope to add it year after next. We will be adding Introduction to Electronics and Introduction to Computer Maintenance this coming school year.

The need to adjust and/or add courses as the job market changes is essential bit it is not always easy. Factors ranging from lack of funding to Texas' increase in core academic requirements can get in the way, especially in small schools.

"Funding comes from the state," Johnson said. "Since it is based on enrollment, a program can be dropped if enrollment drops. We used to have a drafting program that was cut because of that. Also, declining enrollment means less money from the state to add programs. Jasper's decline in enrollment means we can't go out and hire new teachers to teach new subjects."

The increase in academic courses mandated by the state is of particular concern because it leaves less room for electives, including careerpath programs.

"It's a Catch-22 situation," he said. "I understand wanting higher academic standards, but that doesn't necessarily mean taking an extra math or science course or taking two years of a foreign language. Schools could do what we already do and do it better rather than add course requirements. Texas has raised the bar in academics. It looks like the state wants every student prepared to go into any post-secondary school, but many of our students need a four-year plan based on career choice that may not include foreign language, for example."

Texas' increase in core academic courses comes at a time when the state (and the U.S.) is faced with a shortage of technical and skilled workers, and what concerns Johnson is that students who don't plan on getting a degree from a four-year college also won't have room in their schedules to take courses that lead to careers in many of these growth sectors.

"Scheduling becomes a problem, especially in smaller schools," he said. "A large school can offer more courses and adjust schedules more easily. Our career and technology teachers are going to try to see if we can get some of our higher-level courses to count as science or math. If they can show that they are using math skills like algebra, for example, that course may be able to count as math. These courses would also have to align with TAKS."

In addition, the percentage of high school graduates who do not pursue a four-year college degree is much greater than those who do. Many go from high school to work while others attend a one to two year technical school program.

Texas has technical schools scattered across the state as part of Texas State Technical College, but that means travel and living expenses. The Jasper Higher Education board is in the process of applying for an Economic Development Grant to expand the Jasper Teaching Center to include construction trades and vocational classes. Since it is located on the high school campus, Johnson sees that as a benefit to Jasper students.

"The expansion of the Higher Ed center would help the Jasper program," he said. "Our programs need to be driven by the work force and we will need to align our programs with theirs. We already have a tech prep program with Angelina and also Business Computer Information Systems. In Health Care Science, students can earn college credits through the Medical Terminology class. If they go into a medical career that is a college course they won't have to take. Of course, they have to make a B in the course."

Welding is another career choice where Jasper High School students can already get college credits through Lamar Institute of Technology.

"If a student is in the welding program and he takes Welding I and Welding II, he can get college credit," he said. "Lamar Institute of Technology will honor that. Of course, the student has to enroll in the college courses and follow through or the school won't give him those credits."

The offering of collegelevel technical and vocational programs locally through the Jasper Teaching Center would be a cost benefit to Jasper High School and area students. In addition, the transition from high school to postsecondary career education could very well mean that more students get the job training they need in order to be successfully employed.

In the meantime, the Carl E Morgan Technical- Career Center continues to offer programs that can lead high school graduates to successful careers in a variety of jobs that do not necessarily require a four-year degree.