Career and Technical Education

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

BOSTON

CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS BENEFIT STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES

81% of students who drop out say relevant real-world learning opportunities would’ve kept them in school.1

The planning, programming, and design of technical education spaces are complex and challenging. Thankfully the results are impactful and rewarding. Not only in enrollment and partnerships, but also in student outcomes.

In essence, these projects require more; more stakeholders, more equipment, more coordination. Decision making is exponential and often must happen quickly. Labs in existing facilities can create gridlock. Labs are a source of student frustration when they are unable to get the class they want, hours they need, or make-up time for an assignment. Labs are also the center of aggravation for faculty because they can hold up modules causing rescheduling, shuffling, waiting, and teaching off hours. With the appropriate number and type of teaching labs, we see an impact on student performance as there is more time spent in the lab allowing for more time spent on a module or skill.

After a new building was constructed to house the Automotive Technology program at Lakes Region Community College, the college was able to rewrite their curriculum and increased their credits from 68 to 74. They also went from having a waiting list to teaching multiple sections and from 50/50 in-classroom vs. in-lab to 30/70. The students and staff are happier and they are taking in more revenue.

We use benchmarking, space planning, and utilization studies to plan for the future but not over-build, striking a balance between space needs and budget. By partnering with our clients, putting in the time upfront saves time, money and reduces headaches. We learn something new on every project and these lessons create a wellestablished process, that is built for success.

“The light and space that this school building contains is very much the first impression a person notices upon entering. This translates as a feeling of pride and investment in a bright, clean and healthy learning environment. It’s an inspiring building to work in.”

Joel Rowland, Marine Technology and Composites Mid-Coast School of Technology

FIRST IMPRESSIONS MATTER. WHAT DOES YOUR BUILDING SAY ABOUT THE PROGRAMS YOU OFFER?

Career Technical Education facilities that are reflective of programs they house, possess the capability to increase enrollments, attract industry partners and inspire students to be successful.

Technical schools all over the country are working towards breaking the stigma that you need a college degree to have a successful future. However, the buildings that house many technical programs are buildings that were grown out of the industrial revolution and WWII.

It’s time for investment and to reposition. Spaces need to support and enhance the latest technologies. They also need to drive the message that technical education is a part of the future. More than ever, skilled labor is at an all-time low as we’ve branded careers in the trades as second class or option B. Technical programs have the added burden to not only attract, but convince students, parents, and industry partners that your program is worth their time and investment. Each one of these constituents wants to know that you will improve their future.

Our work with Manchester Community College (MCC) to transform their technical education programs makes a powerful statement.

A state-of-the-art facility on a focused budget.

The project team worked with the College and industry partners to define priorities as well as opportunities for adaptable, multi-use spaces to maximize teaching and learning space and stretch the reach of all available resources. The Advanced Technologies Building directly responds to industry trends and needs while maintaining focus on student success. The new development has brought an influx of students - a 62% increase compared to before the new facility was built and also helped grow partnerships by 250%. This success has helped in securing future funding as well as strengthened the College’s programs, and more importantly, increased opportunities and job outlook for students. The result is a facility which balanced initial costs for long-term gains that stands as a striking identity for the College. With a graduation rate of over 90%, the payback on investment to the College and to the surrounding community has been proven.

SINCE COMPLETING CONSTRUCTION ON THE NEW FACILITY A 62% INCREASE IN PROGRAM ENROLLMENT AND A 250% GROWTH IN INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS HAS OCCURRED.

Image is more than a logo on a wall, or the use of your institutions colors throughout a building. Branding influences the perception your students, potential students, instructors, industry partners and investors have about your programs.

ALIGNING NEEDS WITH PRIORITIES IN ORDER TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR INVESTMENT

Leading a significant change for your technical school is a lot of responsibility. Whether it’s renovating your existing space, planning for a new space or launching a new program, you want to get the most impact for your investment. Aligning the program curriculum, the equipment needed to teach that curriculum, and the space in which the program is taught is a solid foundation for garnering support for investments.

Implementation of a building project starts with proper evaluation - a comprehensive and reliable assessment of your programs of study. Effective program assessments measure success and challenges through data and engagement.

Gathering data such as enrollment trends and local industry trends and projections informs the project’s design and lays the foundation for healthy outcomes.

Perkins funding assistance and other CTE organizations offer tools and templates for comprehensive needs assessments that can be used to establish corrective actions. Engage instructors by promoting a curriculum review which includes evaluation of obstacles, incorporates industry changes, and appraises new or different training models and deliveries. Engage students – past, present, and future – through student interest surveys, current placements, and discussions. Engage program advisories and industry partners to align students with regional workforce demand. This comprehensive evaluation establishes a set of outcomes that define success for each program It is equally important to consider the elements that characterize success for the whole school, the student culture, and core values.

A plan for modernization and growth includes a plan for the spaces in which programs are taught. Technical labs are not standard one size fits all classrooms. The amount of space needed for each program is different for each program at each school that we’ve worked with. So how do we establish what your space needs? We start by assessing where you are today - the existing facilities, existing equipment, and concerns such as safety and acoustics. It can be challenging to imagine a lab of tomorrow while confronted daily with the 4 walls in which you live. Visiting other centers or virtual tours can help open minds to possibilities. Diagramming a lab prototype or ideal lab layout separate from any building design helps define better spatial relationships and develop goals for your unique program. The lab prototypes map out every space and all of the equipment with necessary safety clearances and/or adequate space to instruct multiple students at the equipment. We establish space needs for storage, group dynamics, work flows and providing adequate supervision. Finally, we design a lab to fit your facility or building design that builds on what you have, achieves the most ideal features possible while at the same time being financially sustainable.

By gathering relevant data, you can justify your approach. By listening to all the stakeholders, you can communicate a complete picture of each program of study. By planning out all of the spaces, you can be clear about what is needed. You can be confident in your decisions and are ready to put the plan into action.

Before

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT

After

Palmer Regional Technical Center’s building renovation allowed for the opportunity to locate their welding classroom and locker areas on the second level overlooking the lab. The open lab space significantly improved access to all pieces of equipment. The existing welding lab was incredibility narrow making it difficult for the instructor to supervise students welding simultaneously in the booths.

THE STREETS ARE NOT PAVED WITH GOLD. HOW DO YOU GET THE FUNDING SUPPORT YOU NEED?

As a leader of a secondary or post-secondary Career Technical Education center, your first priority is to your students. Becoming a master fundraiser may not have been what you envisioned. But, the way you bring your team together to offer outstanding, highly technical education MATTERS.

The endeavor to improve the spaces that your instructors and students work in will also have a lasting impact on the value of their education. Pulling together as a team and working toward this common goal can be unifying for your organization. Clearly defining your needs in the form of a project can be a powerful tool in establishing and reinforcing your external partnerships.

The best approach to gathering capital for an improvement project is multi-faceted. Although it can happen, very few organizations will have someone knock on your door and hand you millions of dollars. More traditionally, institutions need to work, one step at a time, attaining funding from multiple sources.

Different projects find different opportunities. For example, a recent client, Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center, has separated their contracts to utilize Federal ESSR funding to replace their mechanical system for their renovation. At the same time, they’ve applied for state funding earmarked for CTE improvements, garnered donations from local partners and rallied the community behind a bond for the remaining funds.

Proper analysis and review of all potential solutions help you make the case to your key investors. Plans and renderings help you visualize the value of this investment. Spending the time to get accurate construction costs and soft costs builds confidence that the project can be completed.

“Our goal was to provide opportunities for kids, in a 21st century appropriate learning environment. We can look at this building and know that we’ve been through something special and that we’ve left behind something special for this community”

Michael Delahanty, Former Superintendent Salem School District

TYPES OF FUNDING

LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES

Secondary schools may have to get their communities to support a larger capital project. Regional Centers may have to pass votes in multiple communities. The bond vote process can be challenging. Lavallee Brensinger has developed a process for getting through a successful bond vote.

Perkins V is the most common source. All CTE centers are familiar with it. Along with this, federal money is distributed to states and each state allocates the funding differently. Many states use reverse funds to support larger capital projects.

FEDERAL

GRANTS

Other more specific Federal Grants and Initiatives that you can apply for.

For example, Sugar River Valley Regional Technical Center used ESSR funds for mechanical system designed to align with renovation.

CAPITAL FUNDS

Post-secondary technical centers may have capital campaigns budgets within their organization. The projected increase in interest, enrollment, and tuition revenue a new project may generate can offset initial costs.

INDUSTRY PARTNER

Your advisory committee industry partners are already familiar with your school and want to help. An improvement project may be a catalyst for developing new partnerships.

Build relationships with community partners and communicate your needs.

DONORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Scan the QR Code to learn more about funding and other CTE resources.