From the sawmills of the 18th century to the L.S. Starrett Company of today, Athol has a long-standing and proud tradition as an industrial hub. Our factories and skilled workers have done everything from lay the industrial foundation of this country to help cement our status as a global power after World War II. In large part, this success was due to a well-trained and technically proficient workforce able to adapt to the technological demands of their time.
Yet as we navigate a new and complex decade, it is worth asking: are we preparing the next generation to take the helm? To remain competitive in an increasingly global economy, our commonwealth and our town need a re-trained and re-imagined workforce. And the solution is simple: recommit to vocational-technical education in Athol.
There is a dire need for skill sets such as engineering technology, building trades, and computer-aided drafting by businesses, not just here in Athol, but across the state. With more than 7,000 manufacturing firms operating in Massachusetts, these businesses are creating 250,000 jobs with an average annual salary of $75,000. [Chan, Tiffany, “Manufacturing industry is growing in Massachusetts,” wwlp.com, Sept. 29, 2014] In the coming years, our district should continue to prioritize this increasingly in-demand education right here in Athol.
Vocational education is not new to our high school; it was built into its very structure as part of the Industrial Arts wing. Not only do we have space right here at home, but we have already piloted several certificate programs at our high school, such as the Precision Measurement Instruments (PMI) program. Certifying our local teachers through the National Coalition of Certification Centers, AHS has been “providing students and technicians with a robust understanding of the fundamentals of precision measurement instruments,” https://bit.ly/30V1a6v giving them a highly valued skill-set and certificate before entering the workforce.
Through a combination of grant funding, state aid, and an alliance of local businesses and leaders, it’s time we recommit to following best practices from across the state. In the short term, we should continue to offer Athol’s students these valuable vocational opportunities. In the long term, we should explore expanding these certificates to offer a more robust and comprehensive alternative to four year college right here in our community.
Whether our students become a CNC machine tool programmer at Starrett’s or a HVAC technician working anywhere in the district, we need to adequately train our workforce for the future. We cannot continue to follow outdated models and must understand that today’s well-paid workers require additional layers of sophistication and training in order to be competitive. We need to ask our forward-looking business leaders what skill sets they need and tailor our students’ education accordingly. Simply put: we need to rededicate ourselves to vocational-technical education in Athol.
Will LaRose, an Athol resident, is the Democratic candidate for state representative in the Second Franklin District.