West Valley Career and College Fair

Each October West Valley High School hosts the largest College and Career fair you can find in Yakima, WA.  Last year we had over sixty-four tables showing students the variety of options they have in front of them when they graduate.

This year at West Valley will prove to be the largest Career Fair yet.  We will have representatives from military, two year, four year, and graduate universities, technical schools, career and industry, and registered apprenticeships.

In addition to representatives from post-secondary opportunities we are also bringing in Key Note Speaker, Daniel Seddiqui, from Living the Map to come talk about his experiences in today's Job Market.

https://www.livingthemap.com/ 

The West Valley College and Career Fair is Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Open to Students - 10:45-2:30pm
Open to the Public - 5-7pm

Lessons from Abroad: What can we learn from Germany and Switzerland to create opportunities for students in West Valley

Lessons from Abroad:  The German Dual-Vocational Education System.

In September of 2016, exactly two years ago, I boarded a flight destined to Berlin, Germany for what was going to be one of the most transformative educational experiences of my educational career.  In this tour we spent five days in Berlin and one week in Thuringia to see both urban approaches to the German dual vocational education system or as we call it, Youth Apprenticeship.  

Our trip was planned and organized by the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad (ZfA).   The goal of our trip was to combine a closer connection to the American and German education through student experiences, language, and culture.  The goal was undoubtedly achieved.

Berlin

While in Berlin we toured two different schools, the Max-von-Laue-Oberschule, an integrated secondary school, and Peter-Lenne Schule, a dual-vocational school for agriculture.  During the Max-Von-Laue school visit we saw how eighth and ninth grade students are engaged in a series of career interest surveys, job shadows, and job exploration activities which are paired with their academic studies.  School counselors are attuned to vocational plans of all their students.  Most unique was the wine make program which is in high demand among all ninth grade students. 

Grapes being grown for the wine making program.

The corner of the building of Max-von-Laue Oberschule

At Peter-Lenne Schule we saw an urban approach to agricultural education.  Students only attend school one week a month while participating in apprenticeships the other three.  Students are employed around Berlin working as landscapers, zoo keepers for the Berlin Zoo, and turf management for golf courses.  Course time was devoted to German language, math, social studies, as well as teaching specific skills students will need in the upcoming weeks at their apprenticeships.  The skills learned were essential to their success during their apprenticeships.

Greenhouse plans at Perer-Lenne Schule.

Animals kept at Peter-Lenne Schule.

Thuringia

Following our time in Berlin, we took a train to the German state of Thuringia.  Our time in Thuringia was the most bountiful where we saw Thuringia Energy AG, a public utility training center for youth apprentices, and Walter-Gropius Schule, a dual-vocational school for technical trades, 

Thuringia Energy AG is a training center for public utility apprentices.  Students have advanced training opportunities in where they can find leaks in gas lines, break apart types of ground paving to access electrical wires beneath, and climb electrical poles to fix power lines.  These are training opportunities not available to students in the United States until they have completed high school.  Instead of protecting German students from entering the adult world, there are transitions where students can use their public education to practice before entering the job site. 

Utility pole training center for students to practice.

German public utility apprentices re-wiring a circuit board.

Training center for utility gas lines.  Students can make connections and diagnose gas leaks.

Various forms of ground students break apart to access subterranean utilities.

Walter-Gropius Schule functioned much like Peter-Lenne Schule from Berlin.  Students attend classes one week a month and go to their paid apprenticeships three weeks a month.  Vocational classes at Walter-Gropius are built for an entirely different function then vocational programs in American schools.  Because students will get real world experiences while on the job, classrooms are built to be advanced learning labs.  A plumbing program lab is built with transparent pipes with all of the different configurations students can expect to see in the field.  A painting program is built for students to layout color pallets, and a carpenter program has students building small houses. 

High school plumbing program where student diagnose a variety of plumbing issues through transparent pipes.

School professional painting program where students test a variety of color combinations.

High school carpentry program where students build houses to scale.

Takeaways:

1. Begin career exploration as early as the seventh and eighth grade.
2. Connect lessons in school to skills students need in the working world.
3. Create partnerships between business and education to provide resources for students.
4. Place students in the workforce so they can make immediate connections to the relevance of the skills learned in school. 

To learn more about the West Valley Youth Apprenticeship program, email me at nesmithc@wvsd208.org or follow me on Twitter:  @NesmithEDU

  

Innovations in Professional Development

West Valley has taken an innovative approach to teacher professional development.  Each year our teachers have the ability to job shadow, intern, and tour various businesses around Yakima.  Each year's training differs from teachers touring in a whole group to individual placements as the job location applies to the teacher's content area.

This year's Career Connected Learning touring took place at West Valley Fire Department.  Teachers learn about the training fire recruits must pass.  The most important goal of the tours is for teachers to reflect on their courses and the transferability from the classroom to the working world.

The tour was hosted by WVFD Retention Officer, Chris Lyons, who also teaches the West Valley High School Fire Science program.  Chris gave a unique outlook on supporting students to meet standard.

Chris Lyons of WVFD answer questions about cadet training.

"No one gets left behind, it is as though my life depends on them learning everything because it does.  I don't want to be in a burning structure with a recruit unless I am 100% certain they are prepared and it's my job to prepare them."

West Valley Fire hosts their annual potato feed coming up next Friday, September 14 from 5 to 8pm for only $6. 

If you are interested in hosting a WV Teacher for future job shadows, please email at: nesmithc@wvsd208.org

West Valley teachers entering the fire prop where recruits train with active fire.

AMPED Algebra at West Valley Junior High

AMPED Algebra

This fall, West Valley Junior High and Freshman Campus launched a new innovative approach to Algebra through AMPED, Algebra 1 through Manufacturing Process, Entrepreneurship, and Design.  Classes will be a two period block learning experience with a team taught approach connecting a math teacher with a Career and Technical Education Teacher.

AMPED Students learn how to run and operate the business of an advanced manufacturing shop.  They will also learn how to design and build products, market and sell, while using algebraic skills.  AMPED is a real world approach to teaching algebra by allowing students to learn how math skills are embedded in their every day lives.

Learn more about AMPED here.

AMPED Students setting a design plan.

West Valley Junior High

At WVJH the inaugural AMPED class is taught by Jed Watters, Pre-Engineering, and Patrick Murphy, Math.  Students are learning Auto CAD to design wood products which will eventually be cut out on the Pre-Engineering Labs CNC Machines.  

We kicked off the year with a business/school partnership between Triumph Actuation Systems, a local aerospace manufacturing firm here in Yakima, and West Valley by getting students started on the team work process, business ethics, and basic principles of LEAN manufacturing.  Tariq Khan from Triumph worked with students connecting how the skills they learn in class are being used here in Yakima.  Students in class were learning about the 'Laws of Diminishing Returns' and how to use algebra to predict the most effective production rate. 

Tariq Khan from Triumph Actuation Systems working with AMPED Students.

West Valley SD is Leader in Development of Registered Apprenticeship and Wants to Share

West Valley School District is deeply engaged in the development of employer apprenticeships in Yakima County and is recognized as a leader throughout the State of Washington for developing apprenticeships at local aerospace manufacturing sites in the Yakima area. West Valley School District currently holds 9 of the 29 positions on the Yakima Employer Apprenticeship Roundtable, speaking strongly to our commitment to Step 5 of the West Valley 5 Steps to Student Success - Career and College Readiness. 

West Valley had three apprentices last year and has developed more business partnerships in order to provide five apprentice opportunities this year. We are also currently researching and working with agencies in order to establish Childcare as the next Registered Apprenticeship. We also have thoughts on more that are in the pipeline.

Bri Durham of AJAC, Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Council speaking to the group at our meeting this Wednesday on the development of Registered Apprenticeships and the need for more work.

 West Valley SD has 9 of the 29 members of the Yakima Employer Apprenticeship Roundtable, speaking to the commitment we have made in West Valley SD to the development of this great opportunity for our West Valley kids.

 Chris Nesmith on the left, represented West Valley SD in an outstanding fashion as a member of the panel who answered questions during the closing Q&A Session. Chris is Innovations and Futures Director for West Valley SD, and has been credited with the development of the model for Washington State Apprentice Programs in working collaboratively with Tacoma Public Schools CTE Director John Page, the Governor's Office, and the Washington Workforce Council among others.

The panel answering questions from the attendees at the Wednesday meeting on the development of Apprenticeship Programs in Washington State and the need for more initiative in this area. We are proud of our work in West Valley and are doing what we can to continue to serve as the model for Washington State, as well as reach out to other districts so that they can replicate our model.

GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN WEST VALLEY!

West Valley SD Apprenticeship Program Development Blog and Postings

West Valley School District has developed a Registered Apprenticeship Program in collaboration with AJAC, for Aerospace Manufacturing and is working diligently to develop another Registered Apprenticeship Program. Under the leadership of Innovation and Futures Director Chris Nesmith, we have emphasized Career and College Readiness to the point of developing apprenticeship opportunities for our students as the contemplate career choice.

Our goal is to work with others school districts in replicating our efforts. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any assistance in developing a Registered Apprenticeship opportunity for your students.