Pre-Apprenticeship Program Positions Minuteman Grad for Success

PHOTO CAPTION: Shaun Piso of Stow, a 2018 Minuteman High School graduate, on the job recently at Astro Welding in Boxborough, Mass. Mr. Piso successfully completed the Mass. Construction Career Development Program, which opened up many opportunities for him. Photo by Jeffrey Cathcart.

By Judy Bass

LEXINGTON – When Shaun Piso was a student at Minuteman High School, he majored in Automotive Technology and was well-prepared for a rewarding career following his graduation in June of 2018. He had practical, hands-on experience because the school provides real-world training that underscores what is taught in the classroom - and that employers love to find on job applicants’ resumes.

Minuteman also helps students land valuable opportunities to enhance their credentials and knowledge even further. Mr. Piso, of Stow, was the recipient of one of those opportunities, through which he obtained his commercial driver’s license (CDL). Today, he is successfully employed as a diesel mechanic by Astro Welding & Fabricating, a crane service in Boxborough, And in addition, Mr. Piso recently was hired at Worcester Airport as a snowplow driver.

He has a future with almost unlimited promise. His goal of someday becoming a crane operator is definitely attainable.

What enabled Mr. Piso to get a solid foothold in the career he wants was the Massachusetts Construction Career Development Program (MassCCD), which is “a registered pre-apprentice program that meets the definition and quality framework established by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Massachusetts Division of Apprentice Standards,” according to Ann O’Neill, manager of external civil rights programs for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Office of Diversity and Civil Rights.

MassDOT, which is the fiscal sponsor of the MassCCD program, supplies the “overall leadership and direction” for it, Ms. O’Neill mentioned. She is the Program Manager. Jeffrey Cathcart, Director of the Pre-Apprentice

and Vocational School Training Program for the New England Laborers Training Trust Fund, developed the curriculum and oversees all aspects of the program.

Launched in 2015, the one-week program is geared towards preparing entry-level workers for opportunities in the local labor market. “The training and curriculum are based on industry standards and are approved by the New England Laborers’ Registered Apprentice Program,” Ms. O’Neill noted.

During the past year, the program was presented in fourteen schools across the Commonwealth to over 350 students. “Oftentimes, schools will request more than one week, and if it is possible to accommodate two weeks at the same school, we do,” said Ms. O’Neill.

“Last year, Minuteman was one of the schools that participated, with 30 seniors finishing the program,” said Maryanne Ham, Director of Special Projects at Minuteman.

“The program seeks to educate youth and young adults about the diverse career pathways in the transportation and highway construction industry,” Ms. O’Neill continued. “Effective training requires a strong industry focus and the MassCCD partnership is committed to offering this structured program to prepare individuals with the skills and competencies needed to enter one or more registered apprentice programs or other related career pathways.”

Another key objective of the program is “to show students how the skills they learned in high school can be put to use building and maintaining the nation’s infrastructure,” said Mr. Cathcart.

Through the program, students are introduced to careers as laborers, equipment operators, electricians, carpenters, diesel mechanics, ironworkers and surveyors, to mention just a few of the possibilities. “They are also made aware of careers with the Department of Transportation, said Mr. Cathcart, “and with Departments of Public Works.”

“This program,” Ms. O’Neill explained, “combined with other learning opportunities offered through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s On the Job/Supportive Services Program, will continue to insure individuals from low income, minority, youth, or young adult populations gain consideration and are prepared for success in apprenticeship programs. Since all coursework is delivered by top-quality instructors ranging from civil engineers to skilled trade instructors, program participants learn from working professionals who impart real-life experiences.”

That clearly was true for Mr. Piso, who not only earned his CDL through the MassCCD program, but also

got his CPR and first aid certifications, learned how to read road inclines, and now works alongside top-notch experts. “I work on the big equipment [at Astro Welding] and often have opportunities to go out on job sites and help the crane operators,” he said.

This is how the program functions, Ms. O’Neill said - under the leadership of the New England Laborers’ Training Academy (NELTA) and MassDOT, in consultation with the MassCCD partnership organizations, an intensive five-day practicum is delivered across the Commonwealth in Chapter 74-approved vocational schools like Minuteman.

“Working with the participating schools,” Ms. O’Neill pointed out, “we seek to identify twenty students per program who have an interest in pursuing transportation or highway careers upon graduation. We look for highly-motivated high school juniors or seniors enrolled in a transportation-related career pathway who demonstrate a desire to learn about career opportunities in this industry. Sometimes, motivated students who would benefit from this introductory program are invited to participate even if they are currently in vocational classes outside of the industry we are targeting.” Input from technical program teachers and guidance counselors is also taken into consideration when students are being chosen to participate.

The rigorous program covers plenty of ground in one week. There are two components – classroom and hands-on. The curriculum includes a wide range of topics such as Introduction to the Construction Industry, Introduction to Unions and Apprenticeship, Employability Skills for a Construction Worker, Construction Math, CPR/First Aid/AED Certification, Work Zone Safety, Excavation Safety and Seeking Employment. Hands-on activities include safe work practices, personal protective equipment, using hand tools, concrete placing and finishing, and line and grade.

Upon successfully completing the program, students receive a certificate of completion signed by the Division of Apprentice Standards and a certificate from the New England Laborers’ Training Trust Fund, which will credit them with 30 training hours if they are accepted into the apprenticeship program.

Students who successfully finish the program are also eligible to transition into the Federal Highway Administration’s On the Job/Supportive Services Program, which offers a wide range of support services to help them obtain employment - assistance with obtaining a driver’s license, resume writing and interviewing skills, CDL training and licensing, and job placement and retention assistance. Given the fact that there is a shortage of skilled workers in industries like construction, where the average age of a worker is 41, according to Mr. Cathcart, openings do exist for talented, qualified employees.

After taking the MassCCD program, a number of students have been accepted into apprenticeship programs, Mr. Cathcart explained, and gone on to work with contractors on MassDOT-funded highway projects. Graduates are also employed with local Department of Public Work Departments and with contractors working on local infrastructure projects. Some have received scholarships to obtain their CDL B license through the On the Job/Supportive Services Program, creating even more opportunities for them in the highway maintenance and construction industry.

Maryanne Ham, the Director of Special Projects at Minuteman, spoke enthusiastically about the MassCCD program and its tremendous usefulness to students. “This program embraces the work of Mass. Girls in Trades, a statewide organization that connects young women interested in the trades to high-demand and high-wage careers in the union construction trades. The pre-apprentice program is providing an opportunity to career and technical high school young women and men who are interested in the construction trades to learn about careers with town and city DPWs and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, as well as the Laborers’ Union. A benefit to Minuteman students who participate in this pre-apprenticeship program is that they also have an opportunity to apply for scholarships to enroll in classes to obtain their CDL license as Shaun Piso did. It’s a great partnership.”

Minuteman is eight months away from moving into a new $145M facility that has been designed to support a robust college and career academy model. The academy model was adopted by staff and administration to create smaller “schools within a school” thereby promoting more personalized learning founded upon close relationships between students and teachers. The Minuteman college and career academy model integrates rigorous academics with relevant technical programming in occupational areas providing individual economic opportunity. The new facility will accommodate project-based learning across disciplines, requiring students to learn how to work on a diverse team, solve problems and think critically. These are essential 21st-century skills that students practice and apply in a variety of school-based and work-based environments.

As an accredited member of the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC), Minuteman inspires all students to attain their full potential, accelerate their learning, and become purposeful citizens in the global community.