Work Force Development

Tech Center Students Are “Powering Up” a Notch

Students don’t often have the opportunity to be in on the ground floor of a new course. However, this school year 40 students at the Technical and Career Education Center have had the opportunity to do just that. And according to Jennifer Butler, it has been “great!”

A high school junior whose home school is Tallwood High School, Jennifer attends the afternoon Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) class at the Tech Center and is one of two girls enrolled in the course.

Nick Johnson, Jennifer Butler, Kevin Jourdan check the outdoor power equipment donated by STIHL, Inc. to their OPE class.

As Jennifer points out, “My dad is a mechanic and was also a student at the Tech Center. I’ve always been around motors and enjoy helping my dad work on them. Having this chance to get technical training and experience is great. My dream is to work for STIHL after I graduate.” Brian Stewart, a Kellam High School junior, is also a student who has long had an interest in learning about engines and in gaining hands on practical experience in rebuilding and servicing them. With the OPE class he gets both.

As he puts it, “I knew I wanted to come to the Tech Center, but I wasn’treally sure what I wanted to take. Then, my guidance counselor told me about this class.
I’ve found that if I put my mind to it, it’s easy, especially since we do the work ourselves. That way, I gain confidence in myself that I can do the job.”

Tech Center instructor Ben Thomas underlines the fact that these students in the Outdoor Power Equipment program are breaking new academic ground. Conceived in partnership with STIHL Inc. and the outdoor power equipment industry, the OPE class focuses on teaching students practical skills such as the servicing, repairing, and rebuilding of a variety of engines as well as the more technical aspects of the field involving hydraulics, electricity, and engineering. At the same time, students receive training in business management since the class is actually structured as
a business. Students clock in and use time sheets, learn the logistics of ordering supplies, develop budgets, and the like. As Thomas points out, “When students complete the program and pass the certification test, they are fully prepared to enter the outdoor power equipment industry as highly sought after skilled workers.”

STIHL Inc. has contributed to the success of this program through its support of the course’s curriculum development as well as donating the power equipment on which students work. In addition, the multinational company is providing mentorship opportunities through such practical applications as hosting a student tour of Stihl’s Virginia Beach facility. As the company’s national training manager John Keeler says, “One of our major strategic issues is to support the creation and development of VBCPS’ Outdoor Power Equipment program. In this way, STIHL can help support the
industry by introducing students to the opportunities available to them as skilled workers in a burgeoning industry. A critical need for highly skilled technicians currently exists and the need for such skilled workers in this industry will only continue to grow.”

Perhaps one of the most impressive features of the new OPE class at the Tech Center is the facility in which it operates. Several large rooms comprise the classroom complex with two rooms devoted to shop space that is equipped with tools, tool boxes, engines, motors, chain saws, generators, weed trimmers, and the like, and a third room outfitted with a full complement of computer work stations. Professional equipment, tools, and the spacious shop offer students a real-life job experience they would be hard pressed to find elsewhere in a high school classroom setting.

When students successfully complete the program and pass the corresponding certification test, they will graduate with industry accreditation from the Equipment and Engine Training Council (EETC) and receive the Outdoor Power Equipment Certified Technician credential. The OPE technician certification is recognized throughout the industry and those who earn it are not only widely
recruited for positions but often have the added advantage of rapid advancement in the field.

As with other technical and career education programs, the goal for the Outdoor Power Equipment course is to have students successfully take the national certification which is on the state’s list for verified credits in technical education. Eventually, OPE credits may extend to community college credit, such as Tidewater Community College.

For more information about the OPE course, please contact the Technical and Career Education Center at 427-5300.