#CF100: To celebrate 100 Years of community foundations in 2014, the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy is highlighting the value and effectiveness of community foundations in Connecticut with feature stories from our members.
Main Street Community Foundation
BRISTOL, CT -- The manufacturing industry, a cornerstone of many central Connecticut communities, is thriving and many companies have recently expanded, increasing their need for workers. But despite a high unemployment rate in region, the workers aren’t there. The skilled technical workers aren't there.
Main Street Community Foundation, serving the central Connecticut communities of Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott, has joined with local Individuals, groups and businesses to increase awareness of technical-based career pathways in order to enhance students’ success, alleviate the shortage of skilled technical workers and increase employment opportunities in those communities.
Business owners and professional associations were brought together in order to gain an in-depth understanding of their needs and current initiatives in the area of technical-based education. Superintendents and other school representatives from local school districts, as well as guidance and career counselors, convened to discuss current programs and future opportunities. All groups were in agreement that students have not been as exposed to careers in manufacturing and other technical fields as they could be.
Over the last several decades, a conventional belief has developed that factories are dirty, smelly places no one should aspire to work in – and that a manufacturing job is a dead-end career. Technical education classes were cut from school budgets. The high school curriculum became focused on getting students “college ready”, which does not suit the needs or desires of all students. There was no longer a path for kids with mechanical or technical skills to pursue a technical-based career.
According to Michael Brault, Vice President of Operations at Ultimate Wireforms Inc., and a current Director at Main Street Community Foundation, “The paradigm that U.S. manufacturing is dead, is simply false. Modern manufacturing companies are largely state of the art, very clean facilities that are heavily dependent on automation and computer technology. The people running the machines are highly skilled, competent and valued workers. The average salary for skilled manufacturing jobs today is $76,000 to $80,000 per year, and the worker is not saddled with a large student loan debt.”
To specifically address the perception of manufacturing careers, and the education needed to be successful in one, 18 guidance and career counselors representing every high school in the Foundation’s service area attended a workshop at the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT). The all-day workshop, funded by the Foundation, focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and manufacturing related careers and education in Connecticut.
“Attending the CCAT-led workshop was an incredibly valuable experience. Knowing there is such a demand in the manufacturing industry, and there is such a clear and available pathway into it, is a real eye opener,” stated Larry Hochman, Career Counselor at Bristol Eastern High School.
The guidance and career counselors brought pivotal information on technical-based careers and education back to their students and school districts. Armed with this information, they, along with individuals, businesses and other community partners, will raise awareness of and open pathways to viable technical-based careers, lowering unemployment in local communities, filling jobs in critical industries and attracting businesses to the region.
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Contact:
Susan D. Sadecki, MBA
President & CEO
Main Street Community Foundation
860-583-6363
susan@mainstreetfoundation.org
Website: www.mainstreetfoundation.org