WSWHE BOCES retools former Machine Tool Technology program – Saratogian

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — The former Machine Tool Technology program at Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex Board of Cooperative Educational Services (WSWHE BOCES) is heading in a new direction as it is renamed the Industrial and Performance Machining program.

WSWHE BOCES announced the new title for this Career and Technical Education program in a recent press release, noting that Industrial and Performance Machining reflects the industry today and better positions the program to prospective students.

The program places a heavy emphasis on high-tech equipment and precision in the machining of component parts for automobiles, performance vehicles, industrial machines and more. This consists of fabricating component parts to specification for these applications using milling, drilling, grinding and boring machines.

While Machine Tool Technology is often used by technical colleges, WSWHE BOCES administration and educators found that students did not immediately identify the program in line with career goals.

In an effort to continuously offer programs and curricula that best support students and the current job market, the transition from Machine Tool Technology to Industrial and Performance Machining reflects a growing need to reach high school students interested in machining careers.

“Our metal fabrication facility would be unable to operate without individuals trained to program and run the wide variety of machines we have on our shop floor. These students are essential to our current success and our future survival,” Aindrea E. Lundberg of The Fort Miller Group, Inc. said in the release.

In addition to strong ties with industry partners, the program directly addresses two common areas of machining: large-scale, industrial machine shops and smaller, more varied performance engines and vehicles.

It is the hope of WSWHE BOCES that this new name will help prospective students better understand the program and how machining impacts their daily lives.

“[The] program enables students to learn not only how to fabricate components but experience where the components fit into the real-world environment,” said James Alheim, Stone Bridge Iron & Steel, Inc. representative, in the release.

CTE programs are geared toward students who benefit from “doing” while learning, allowing them to achieve their high school diploma while also acquiring the technical skills needed for certain career goals. With more than 20 programs, CTE prepares students for interesting, in-demand careers, whether they graduate into the workforce or continue their education.

Current 10th graders and their parents can learn more about CTE programs, including Industrial and Performance Machining, during either of the following upcoming Open House events:

• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at Donald Myers Education Center, 15 Henning Rd., Saratoga Springs

• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 at Southern Adirondack Education Center, 1051 Dix Ave., Hudson Falls

WSWHE BOCES serves 31 school districts in a five-county region, partnering with school districts to provide cost-effective shared educational programs and services for students of all age levels and abilities. CTE programs provide hands-on learners an opportunity to master academics and technical skills within a subject that interests them and leads to a rewarding career.

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