This must be the week for good news about education. Besides my always uplifting experience speaking with Dartmouth graduate students, I heard today that the Manchester (NH) School of Technology will be featured on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 on Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 11:30 PM. According to MST principal Karen White, ” It is about how the state of NH has done better than other states in the country on dropout prevention and we were chosen by the Dept of Ed to showcase our efforts. One of the highlights is that technical education is what is attracting students and keeping them in”.
I’ve been working with MST as part of a advisory group that has helped them institute a manufacturing technology program for their students. This is a comprehensive program that provides hands-on education in all aspects of technologies involved in manufacturing. The program features a well equipped training area and an experienced teacher focused on this curriculum. Part of the training includes introductions to lean manufacturing, statistical techniques, and the many people skills required for a successful career. Students come out of the program ready to go to work, or to enter a more in-depth continuation of the training at Manchester Community College. Either way, manufacturers are getting new workers ready for successful careers in industry.