At a Glance
Technical College High School-Pickering (TCHS-Pickering) hosted the Advanced Manufacturing Premier (AMP) event for students and families to educate them about the benefit of pursuing a career in manufacturing.
Description
TCHS-Pickering administrators developed the AMP event in an effort to change outdated perceptions about careers in manufacturing. AMP offered sending school educators, students and parents an opportunity to see the ways in which students’ interests, education and career goals can align with a successful manufacturing career. During the event, local manufacturers and industry partners spoke with students about their companies and the products they produce. Area college representatives provided students information on STEM-related pathways including those for engineering and advanced manufacturing careers.
More than 350 sending school students, parents and educators from Chester and Montgomery counties and more than fourteen manufacturers and post-secondary providers attended the December 2017 inaugural AMP event held at TCHS-Pickering.
To plan the event, Assistant Principal Dr. Angela King contacted administrators from all the sending schools to explain the purpose and implementation requirements, including promotion and field trip opportunities. Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) staff and TCHS-Pickering administrators worked with the Manufacturing Alliance to secure the involvement of numerous companies and their commitment to staff tables and functioning displays which provided students with facts and information about career opportunities in modern-day manufacturing.
CCIU set an initial budget to cover bus transportation for sending school students, food and a comprehensive marketing campaign including flyers, robocalls, website presence, roadside banners, direct mail and editorials. Actual expenses proved less than the projected expenses, and corporate sponsors covered almost half of the expenses (paying for their tables and displays).
The time needed to plan the AMP event to coordinate with sending districts, promote the event, arrange field trips and work with manufactures to plan their displays proved to be the greatest challenge to organizing it. For CTCs that wish to replicate the event, Dr. King recommends they start the planning process early and maintain contact with sending schools to organize student/parent promotion and field trips. Furthermore, it is important to make early contact with manufacturers and involve colleges that offer STEM programs.
In November 2018, TCHS-Pickering will host another AMP event. As of spring 2018, CTC has prepared flyers and promotional materials and coordinated with sending district personnel and members of the manufacturing community.
Impact
The AMP event created many positive developments for TCHS-Pickering students, parents and the manufacturing community. It increased the visibility of manufacturing careers among members of the sending school community. It also helped to change the negative perception of manufacturing jobs held by some parents and students. After the AMP event, enrollment in the Precision CNC Machining and Engineering & Automated Manufacturing Technology programs increased. The event also helped spark a partnership between TCHS-Pickering and the manufacturing community.
Download the event flyer HERE.
Contact
Technical College High School-Pickering
www.tchspickering.org
Dr. Angela King, Assistant Principal left Pickering in May 2018