Cobre Valley Institute News Update

CVIT is the Copper Corridor’s public Career & Technical Education School District providing local students with the knowledge & technical skills for tomorrow’s workforce. CVIT Day is Back!

Cobre Valley Institute of Technology (CVIT), is happy to announce that after skipping a year, CVIT Day is back. On March 3rd, high schools in the region will bring their sophomores to the Gila Pueblo Community College campus to explore the programs CVIT offers, meet instructors, and preview the hands-on component of vocational education, like drawing blood and taking vitals.

“Not every kid wants to go to college, but every kid needs an occupation skill,” says CVIT Superintendent Mike O’Neal.

The Welding Technology Certificate program develops welding skills used in construction, mining, transportation, and metal fabrication. The 3-semester program projects earnings from the work to be $30-66K per year.

HVAC-R is a one-year (2 semester) program that offers a Certificate of Proficiency in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration from EAC and prepares students for the high demand field with salaries averaging $40-50K.

The Medical Assistant program is 2 ½ years (4 semesters + summer externship). It covers both clerical and clinical duties of a medical office and prepares students for an entry-level position as a medical assistant. According to indeed.com, The average salary for a Medical Assistant in Arizona is $16.80 per hour.

The Nursing Assistant program is one year and prepares students for entry-level positions in structured health care settings. Dental Assistant is a 2-year (4 semesters) program that includes x-ray imaging and clinical skills for oral healthcare. Students can earn a COP in Cosmetology through a 3-semester program.

To enroll in CVIT programs, you must be a sophomore, junior or senior high school student with a C grade average or better and a good attendance and discipline record. For some programs, like nursing, there are additional placement tests.

“We take all students, whether they are homeschooled, charter, online, or from a public school,” says Mike O’Neal.

He estimates that about 20% of eligible students participate in the program and would like to see that number increase.

CVIT serves six communities spanning 1100 square miles – Globe, Miami, San Carlos, Hayden, Superior, and Ray Jr/Sr High School in Kearny. The average enrollment of 125-150 has been down since the pandemic began, a partial result of our San Carlos students missing the past two years.

“Most CVIT students attend college 4-5 days a week,” explains CVIT Superintendent Mike O’Neal. “After lunch, they are our students.”

Instruction takes place between 1:30 and 4:00 pm, M-Th and Friday morning, 8-12 am. There is no cost to the student.

“We pay for their books, fees, and certification,” says Mike.

Those who start a CVIT program during high school have up to a year after high school to complete it. Hayden and Ray bus their students daily in a van or bus. San Carlos did the same prior to the pandemic. Miami Unified School District provides bus and driver for Miami and Globe kids to get to CVIT classes.

Superintendent Mike O’Neal spent 22 years with the Globe Unified School District (GUSD) as a CTE teacher, Coach, and Administrator. He’s now in his fifth year with CVIT.

“I wear many hats,” he says.

Mike O’Neal started with CVIT as Executive Director, then became Principal and eventually the Superintendent, and now covers all three roles. He does a lot of advocating and recruiting of students. He’s concerned with kids passing classes, increasing registration, and maintaining good communication between the college, schools, and parents.

Although the main CVIT office is in Superior, O’Neal also maintains an office on the Gila Pueblo campus.

The superintendent’s work involves the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) monitoring compliance reviews, Average Daily Membership (ADM) audits, and financial audits. He meets monthly with leaders from all 14 CTEDs to focus on legislative action that will improve services for students.

Since 2020, Mike has personally surveyed students in the first and second year after CVIT graduation by email, text, or phone. In the health occupation program graduates – medical assistant and nursing assistants — 8 out of 10 CVIT graduates were either in college continuing their education, working in the industry, or both. He recently saw a former student drawing blood at Dr. Holly Rooney’s office, loving her job, her car and living on her own.

Many students take CVIT courses to try out a field and see if they like it. They work in the field while pursuing further education.

Mike was 3-years into the Pharmacy program at ASU when a friend advised him to get a job in a pharmacy to make sure that’s what he wanted to do. He got a job as a Pharmacy Tech at Walgreens and realized it wasn’t for him. Born and raised in Globe, he and his wife moved back home.

“I was kind of at a loss about what I was going to do,” Mike O’Neal recalls.

With their 2nd child on the way, Mike applied at Pinto Valley and the prison (juvenile prison by the fairgrounds). Both called on the same day and offered him a job. He took the prison job, where he discovered that he enjoyed working with and coaching kids.

While working at the prison, Mike took college courses through an off-campus NAU program offered locally, and with his vacation time, he attended summer school at NAU in Flagstaff. He earned a degree in Elementary Education and got a job at Globe junior high teaching social studies and science. A few years later, the junior high woodshop teacher retired, and Mike took over this position. This new position required him to obtain a CTE - Industrial Technologies Certificate and the experience became the starting point for his passion for Career and Technical Education.

After eight years at the middle school Mike became the Globe High Auto Shop instructor and varsity football coach and eventually the CTE Director. During his assignment at GHS he earned a Masters in Vocational Education and a Masters in Educational Leadership.

CVIT originated in 2000 in the communities of Hayden, Superior, and Miami. Voters approved a tax to support it, and soon the district included San Carlos, Globe, and Kearny (Ray).

Arizona has 14 Career and Technology Education Districts (CTED). They are part of the state’s public education system and must follow the same rules as public schools. They are governed by a school board. Five have their own campuses. The other 9, including CVIT, have Intergovernmental agreements with the local high schools and community colleges.

“We have an inter-governmental agreement with the college, to provide our Central Campus programs out here,” says Mike O’Neal, from his office at Gila Pueblo Community College.

CVIT satellite courses at the local high schools now include Bioscience, Culinary, Construction, Coding, Business, Drones, JROTC, Hospitality, Digital Photography, Digital Communication, Education Professions, Graphic Design, Robotics, Software/App Design, and AG Science programs.

CTEDs are funded through property taxes and student impact aid; a significant investment is made in each student. Mike O’Neal estimates the investment in each student in the 2-year Medical Assistant program is at about $1500 per year, including tuition, books, and supplies.

In 2020, AZ received nearly $31 million in federal aid through the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, also known as Perkins V. To remain in state and federal compliance, CVIT enters data into a data portal that tracks student credits, graduation, obtainment of industry-recognized certificates, and job placement,” The satellite schools must do the same.

CVIT is proud of the placement rate, especially for students in the health occupation fields. Local employers like Haven and other skilled nursing facilities are pleased with the training students receive and want to see more graduates coming out of the program.

Cosmetology | Dental Assistant | Fire Science | HVAC | Medical Assistant | Nursing Assistant | Welding

High school graduates should submit their applications and other required documents to their high school counselor. Home school and online students may contact Mike O’Neal at 928-242-1907 or mo’neal@cvit81.org. Cobre Valley Institute of Technology serves students from Superior, Miami, Globe, San Carlos, Hayden-Winkelman and Kearny including home school and charter students. Our career and technical education programs are approved by the Arizona Department of Education and supported by our community partners including Eastern Arizona College Gila Pueblo Campus and Central Arizona College Aravaipa Campus.