CTEC and Chemeketa Collaborate to Strengthen Workforce Development Efforts in Manufacturing

In September, 2021, eleven students entering their senior year in CTEC’s Manufacturing, Welding, and Engineering Program took advantage of a new and exciting opportunity to advance their career goals while earning their high school diploma, acquiring free college credits, and learning the fundamentals of CNC machining. CTEC opened its doors in September of 2015, with two exciting new programs—Residential Construction and Manufacturing, Welding, and Engineering. In the last several years, CTEC has opened eight additional programs while continuing to innovate and improve existing offerings. Coming out of distance learning, CTEC Principal Rhonda Rhodes was eager to offer students new and impactful opportunities to make up for learning lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. When Larry Cheyne, Dean of Industrial Arts at Chemeketa, approached her to discuss potential opportunities to strengthen their partnership, she was thrilled to explore new possibilities.

“CTEC promises students hands-on learning. We brought students into the building as quickly and as frequently as mandates allowed during the 2020-21 school year, but students lost valuable time and experience in our shop and lab spaces. Our goal was to get creative and help make up for lost learning any way possible,” Rhodes said.

Last school year, students had the opportunity to spend three hours on each of their CTEC days on Chemeketa’s campus building their CNC machining skills. Accessing Chemeketa’s incredible machine shop, learning from the CNC experts on their staff, and earning college credits proved to be a valuable experience for all eleven participants. Some of them graduated to pursue immediate employment while the other half continued at Chemeketa to complete the second year of their CNC Machining Certification. To kick off the current school year, nineteen seniors took advantage of this partnership and are spending a portion of their school day at Chemeketa training for these hard-to-fill industry positions.

CTEC senior Gentry Harms described the impact this opportunity had on his career plans. “I was originally focused on computers and looking at something like software engineering or cybersecurity. Those careers require a 4-year college degree, and the degrees are often times really expensive. I was concerned about getting myself into a bunch of student loan debt. Now, with the machining course, I still get that coding experience that I find so enjoyable and engaging, but I can also take those skills and pair them with the hands-on work to make something I can physically touch rather than online structures and websites. I find that as a really great option that fits me better compared to what I was originally planning.” He has greatly enjoyed learning both the coding side and the hands-on operation of the machine. Gentry also has great appreciation for the fact that he can make nearly anything his imagination can generate. As he learns about the high-paying career opportunities available to him, he is thankful for the skills he has acquired both at CTEC and in the machining shop at Chemeketa. In addition to the coding and machine operations, Gentry pointed out that an important part of his workforce preparation has been “working with previous industry professionals , and CTEC”s emphasis on important things like professionalism that are not necessarily taught in the normal school environment.”

Principal Rhodes is excited about the positive experience students are having through this expanded partnership with Chemeketa. “Our local industry partners are in dire need of skilled and qualified machinists, and our students need access to high-paying careers in their areas of talent and interest. I hope to continue this partnership and look for opportunities to increase the competitive advantage for CTEC graduates in every single one of our programs.”