>> COLLEGE AGE STUDENTS ON A PATH, TO HELP THEM GET A JOB
AFTER GRADUATION.
CONNECTING POINT CORRESPONDENT CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH
BOB LEPAGE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION AND WORKFORCE
TRAINING AT SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO
TALK ABOUT REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
>> THERE WAS A GAP IN MANY OF THE CAREER AND
VOCATIONAL-ORIENTED PROGRAMS, AND THAT COMES FROM THE JOBS
GETTING MORE SOPHISTICATED.
I HAD A GRANDFATHER WHO WORKED OVER AT THE NEWSPAPER, AS A
TYPESETTER, THAT HAD A CERTAIN SKILL SET BUT NOW TO RUN MASSIVE
MACHINES, WHERE YOU ARE LOADING PARTS, AND WITH HIGH QUALITY,
TAKES A DIFFERENT SCHOOL SET, MORE MATH ABILITY.
AND MORE TECHNOLOGY SAVVY, MORE QUALITY CONTROL KNOWLEDGE.
PRODUCTION PROCESS KNOWLEDGE, SO, THE JOBS HAVE GOTTEN MORE
SOPHISTICATED, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU NEED MORE TRAINING, AND NOT
ALWAYS A FULL COLLEGE DEGREE, OR AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE.
OR A ONE-YEAR CERTIFICATE BUT YOU NEED ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO
GET INTO THOSE HIGH SKILLED JOBS.
>> HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE A KID WHO DOES NOT GO TO A VOCATIONAL
SCHOOL TO CONSIDER THAT AS A CAREER PATH?
WHAT KIND OF MONEY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, WOULD AN
18-YEAR-OLD MAKE AFTER GRADUATING?
>> DEPENDING ON THE OCCUPATIONAL AREA, IT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM
40,000 TO 60,000.
>> WHICH IS -- AT 18?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
>> AND BECAUSE OF THE SHORTAGES IN SOME OF THOSE OCCUPATIONS,
THEY ARE OFTEN, OFFERED, ADDITIONAL OVERTIME, SO THEY CAN
MAKE 70, 80, 90,000, DEPENDING ON THAT OCCUPATION.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, THERE IS SUCH A HIGH DEMAND THAT THEY GOT
PLACED QUICKLY, INTO JOBS.
UPON GRADUATION.
AND VERY OFTEN, THEY ARE EMPLOYED BEFORE GRADUATION, OR
HAVE OFFERS BEFORE THEY GRADUATE.
>> AND YOU WERE SAYING, THE SAME IS TRUE WITH YOUR PROGRAM AND
MECHANICS, AS WELL?
>> OUR AUTO MECHANICS' PROGRAM, WE HAD 22 STUDENTS, AND ALL WE
CAN FIT, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GROW THAT PROGRAM TO FIT MORE
BECAUSE THERE IS A NEED BUT THOSE STUDENTS, ARE ABOUT 100%
PLACEMENT RATE.
AND WE HAVE A SUCCESSFUL HVAC PROGRAM, AND THOSE STUDENTS, YOU
KNOW, THE PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO ME, SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER TO
FIND A DOCTOR THAN IT IS TO HAVE SOMEONE FIX YOUR
AIR-CONDITIONING BUT ON RATHER DAYS YOU WOULD RATHER HAVE THE
AIR-CONDITIONING SO THOSE ARE HIGH DEMAND.
>> AND THOSE ARE GREAT JOBS THAT I THINK THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE
WHEN JUST SORT OF PUSH ASIDE LIKE OH, NO, MY SON IS NOT GOING
TO DO THAT.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE A DOCTOR OR A LAWYER.
BUT, WHY NOT?
I THINK THAT THERE IS SO MANY KIDS WHO ARE GOING TO MAKE GREAT
MONEY, DOING THESE GREAT JOBS.
>> AND A LOT OF THESE HAVE BECOME, BECOME ENTREPRENEURS SO
WE DON'T ALWAYS THINK OF IT THAT WAY, BUT THE HVAC STUDENT STARTS
WORKING FOR SOMEBODY, AND THEY BRANCH OUT ON THEIR OWN.
THEY GET THEIR OWN BUSINESS AND THEY RUN AND GROW A BUSINESS.
>> LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK.
>> ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK.
>> WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE SOMEONE WHO IS OUT OF WORK, TO CONSIDER
RETOOLING AND CHANGING THEIR CAREER?
>> YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY ARE FOCUSED ON, BOTH
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES FOCUS ON THAT IN OUR VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS,
AND THERE IS -- THE CAREER CHANGE, WHERE YOU CAN COME IN,
IN A YEAR, AND BE PREPARED TO GET RE-ENTERED INTO THE
WORKFORCE OR COME INTO OUR INTENSIVE PROGRAS, AND WE HAVE
PRODUCTION TECH PROGRAMS, AND WE HAVE CERTIFIED NURSING
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AND WE RECENTLY LAUNCHED A CUSTOMER
SERVICE FOR ADVANCED CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS.
WE'RE IN 16 WEEKS, AND YOU CAN GET A CERTIFICATE, AND BE OUT
INTO THE FINANCIAL SERVICE INDUSTRY, SO THERE IS A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO GET BACK IN THE WORKFORCE,
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, THERE IS LOTS OF EMPLOYERS IN THE REGION,
THIRSTYING FOR THAT TALENT.
>> AND I THINK THAT IT'S KIND OF SCARY IF YOU WERE IN ONE
PARTICULAR FIELD FOR SO MANY YEARS, HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE SO
MANY PEOPLE TO GET OVER THAT AND GO FOR THAT TRAINING.
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THE WAY THAT WE DO IT, IS WE TRY TO BRING PEOPLE IN TO AN
INFORMATIONAL SECTION, WHERE WE EXPLAIN TO THEM THE CAREER
PATHWAY, AND WE PROVIDE THEM A LIST OF EMPLOYERS THAT WE KNOW,
ARE LOOKING, FOR TALENT, AND WE EXPLAIN THE DELIVERY OF THE
PROGRAM, AND WE ASSESS THEIR SKILLS.
DO HE HAVE THIS THE MATH AND READING AND LOCATING
INFORMATION.
AND FOR THAT CAREER, AND THEN COUNSEL THEM, SO WE LET THEM,
SOMETIMES, COME IN AND DO, WHAT WE CALL CAREER EXPOSURE SO THEY
MAY COME INTO THE MANUFACTURING LAB, AND SEE THE MACHINES
RUNNING, AND CHATEAU A BIT, SO THAT THEY CAN BUILD THE
CONFIDENCE AND AWARENESS.
>> AND WHAT COMBINED OF TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES WILL YOU HAVE
WITH THE CASINO COMING?
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON, BOTH FOR THE
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND SPECIFICALLY FOR MGM, AND THE
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, WE HAVE A SEVERE NEED IN THIS REGION FOR
COOKS.
SO, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITY
ON THE HOSPITALITY, AND THEY ARE WORKING ON THEIR CULINARY
INSTITUTE AND GROWING IT WITH THE NEW FACILITY.
AND WE'LL BE WORKING ON THE GAMING SCHOOL.
THERE WILL BE 600 TO 700 JOBS THAT WILL REQUIRE SPECIALIZED
GAMING TRAINING SO WE'LL BE HOLDING UP A GAMING SCHOOL TO
PROVIDE THAT TRAINING.
>> SO THOSE ARE SOME EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE
MANUFACTURING TO HOSPITALITY, THAT PEOPLE CAN REALLY BE
THINKING ABOUT, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
>> ABSOLUTELY, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.