News
Dec. 2, 2008
The jobs of tomorrow will be held by today’s children—that much we know. And while many educators are unsure as to what those jobs will be, most are positive they will involve technology and innovation.
“Technology is part of everything we do,” says Mohonasen technology teacher Margaret Kelliher. “Technology drives everything we do.”
In order to plan for the needs of tomorrow and offer students the job skills and knowledge necessary for not only high-tech industry, but for a tech-savvy society, Mohonasen is currently considering a building project that would allow for the renovation of several classrooms at the high school and the creation of a “high-tech” wing.
“Technology is becoming more and more a part of our everyday lives and these skills are becoming more and more crucial in higher education and the work place,” Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Spring said, adding that as high-tech industries move into the Capital Region, we should be preparing our students for these jobs.
“As we tout the addition of AMD and Albany Nanotech to our area, we have a responsibility to teach our students the skills to work at these places,” she said.
According to a report published by the American Electronics Association, the average salary in the technology sector in the US in 2006 was $79,484, which is 87 percent higher than the average private sector salary. Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in its most recent Occupational Outlook Handbook that over the next 10 years, job growth from 11 to 78 percent is expected in careers from engineering to computer systems, software development, scientific and technical consulting, Internet publishing and wireless telecommunication.
Building on a successful program
Mohonasen High School currently offers seven Project Lead the Way courses, which are pre-engineering technology classes, and 12 more traditional technology courses. (link to technology section of course guide)
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| The district is considering a capital project that would, among other things, allow for the creation of a "high-tech" wing at Mohonasen High School and an expansion of the technology program. |
This year, roughly 400 students are taking part in at least one of these classes, with many students completing technology sequences of three, four, five or even six technology classes over the course of their high school career.
“We serve a large population of kids—kids who go want to go to two-year schools, four-year schools and those who want to go directly into the workforce. We try to offer courses for everybody,” technology teacher George Reluzco said. “Our program has been growing the past couple years and that trend is going to continue.”
As the number of technology students continues to grow, so do the number of courses offered. For example, this year was the third year that aerospace engineering was offered and the second for civil engineering and architecture.
And what makes the growth in the program even more impressive is that technology classes are, for the most part, electives.
“The kids in the technology program are there
because they want to be,” Reluzco said. “There are so many different
options within the field of technology.”
Within the technology classes, Mohonasen’s tech teachers agree that
there is a real effort to have students work like they are
professionals in the work place. For example, classes participate in
video conference with other schools across the country—as would
industry experts working together remotely on projects. In
Engineering Design & Development, students work with industry
mentors to complete projects.
Students also learn two skills that Reluzco says are crucial to life after high school – no matter the career path: being able to learn on your own and being able to work as part of a team.
“If I can teach them to learn on their own and get excited about it, I will have been successful,” he says.
A lot of the work that is done in Mohonasen’s technology classrooms is project based and the students work in groups. Students also have the freedom to interact with each other on projects and draw ideas from one another.
The time is now
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| The technology sector in the Capital Region will most likely experience growth in the coming years. |
The idea of a “high-tech” wing is fitting, given what the technology program is currently doing. It expands upon an already successful program, and will offer students more opportunities to be successful and get jobs, Reluzco says.
“The bulk of the growth in this region is going to be in the area of technology,” he says, adding that this type of facility will better connect Mohonasen with industry and will attract places like AMD and the Albany Nanotech center.
“Hopefully, we will be supplying future employees for these types of places,” he says.
Details on the project are still being developed, but both Reluzco and Kelliher say they would like a new tech wing to allow for classes in things like nanotechnology and energy—including clean or green energy, which are not currently offered. However, they would also like to expand on the pre-engineering offerings.
“Even if you don’t work in technology, you need to understand it just to get on with life these days,” Kelliher says. “Technology is the answer to many things.”
Look for more details on the “high-tech” wing and the capital project plan in the coming weeks.
