School awarded a $250,000 CTE revitalization grant to renovate its metal shop
Jan. 12, 2024 / Mazama High School is expanding its manufacturing program next year, offering a career pathway track with college-credit courses and renovating and upgrading its metal shop. The changes will allow students to graduate high school with certifications needed for the workplace and seamlessly transition into degree programs at Klamath Community College or Oregon Tech.
The school last month was awarded a $250,000 Oregon Department of Education Career and Technical Education (CTE) revitalization grant to renovate the metal shop. Grant funds will pay for welding booths, high-pressure exhaust fans, plumbing for gas lines, and other updates necessary to create a safe and effective learning environment for students.
Klamath County School District has allocated funds to hire an additional full-time manufacturing teacher starting in September 2024 as well as money for essential tools and equipment for both the metal and wood shops. The district’s maintenance and project crew will be in charge of the renovation work.
Plans include adding six metals classes in addition to the eight manufacturing classes for high school students and four new exploratory manufacturing courses for eighth-graders at Brixner Junior High School. The eighth-graders would travel to Mazama for the metal and wood shop classes. Manufacturing courses cover a broad range of skills, including construction, welding, metal work, carpentry, and production planning, creation, and processing.
Sergio Cisneros, vice principal at Mazama High School, believes the pathway program will fill a need not only for students, but for the local economy. Data indicates there are currently about 135 open manufacturing and production jobs in the region.
“By emphasizing comprehensive training and skill development through hands-on experience, our students will be empowered to excel in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand occupations,” Cisneros said. “Our goal for all our students is to provide an education that propels them into the future, whether that future includes college, trade school, or direct placement in the workforce.”
Anna Monteil, Mazama’s CTE coordinator, and Cisneros teamed up to write the successful grant.
"The expanded manufacturing program is not just about classrooms and workshops; it's a gateway to empowering our students for future success,” Monteil said. “Our CTE programs don't just impart knowledge, they spark motivation, and help students envision a future full of possibilities they might not have even known existed."
Michael Edwards, manufacturing teacher at Mazama, said the shop renovation and new equipment will allow students to develop skills in line with industry standards and needs.
“In the past there has been a big push towards college instead of blue collar, industry jobs where people work with their hands,” he said.
But that may be changing. Five of his students who graduated in 2023 are pursuing careers in welding – one is attending Western Welding Academy in Wyoming and four are in KCC’s welding program.
The high school has offered manufacturing classes in its metal and wood shops for more than 30 years, but advanced classes had not been dual credit. Mazama’s manufacturing program currently has 223 students enrolled.
Mazama also offers CTE pathways in agriculture food processing, automotive, education, health occupations and business. All CTE pathway programs include dual credit courses.
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