While Career & Technical Institute (CTI) staff and students welcome sophomores from Dutchess BOCES’ component school districts every year to tour the various trade programs, they also recently welcomed Haviland Middle School students from Hyde Park.
The visit was designed to give students in Haviland’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program more time to decide if they want to take up a trade, even if they do not know what they want to pursue yet. AVID prepares students to be either college or career ready by developing essential skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and relationship building, all rooted in believing in themselves, according to the AVID website.
Guidance Counselor Jamie Myers noted that in previous years he and his fellow counselors only brought eighth graders, but this year it was opened up to students from all grades.
“The more you can expose kids to positive things, the better,” Myers said. “Being able to be here and see it in action, there’s no substitute for that.”
Myers always finds the visit beneficial as he is reminded of the many opportunities CTI has to offer and appreciates the warm reception his students receive from everyone. “It’s always been much appreciated that Dutchess BOCES opens its doors to us, because not all agencies do for middle school students,” Myers said. “It’s always been a really positive experience.”
When AVID students visited the Construction Trades classroom, second-year students eagerly showed off various projects they had worked on, while fellow Construction Trades student Robert Tompkins told them that how they conduct themselves is just as crucial as knowing the tools of the trade. “You have a reputation to uphold, so if you act badly in somebody else’s class, it affects everybody in this class,” Tompkins said. “Make sure you guys are responsible.”
Trade Electric Teacher Richard Petschko talked with students about the work that is completed in the class and how this vocation can be lucrative if they have the right work ethic.
“If you come in with a good work ethic, you will be successful,” Petschko said. “No matter what program you go into, there’s a high demand; tradespeople are the next class of millionaires.”
Seventh grader Christopher Thompson was interested in joining the Security & Law class because of the hands-on learning experiences and because the math and science taught is relevant to the field. He appreciated being able to come and think over what he wants to do before entering high school.
“Being in 10th grade coming here, it’s like next year, we have to be ready for it,” Thompson explained. “Now we get to research it a little bit more because there are requirements for it.”
Seventh grader Zycaria Williams found the visit helpful in choosing what career path to take, adding that she is potentially interested in joining the Computer Hardware program.
“The idea of making something that could be a working device is very thrilling for me,” Williams said.
