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WTA students eager to gain vocational experience in co-op

Date: 2/16/2022

WESTFIELD – Westfield Technical Academy (WTA) has more than 50 students out in cooperative education (co-op) assignments and internships, and more students are available to work, said Assistant Principal Kevin Daley and Career Technical Education coordinator Peter Taloumis.

Taloumis said co-ops have to be related to the shops the students are in and the Chapter 74 standards they are learning. Students work in co-ops every other week, alternating with their academic classes, and earn minimum wage or higher, depending on the job.

Daley, who is coordinating co-op assignments for students, said if there are businesses that have a need for employees, and the positions align with the students’ technical education, he’ll make it work. He will speak to businesses, and talk to lead teachers to try to find the right student with the right skill set to meet their needs.

Currently, Daley said there are students available in the fields of auto collision repair, business technology, construction, culinary arts, electrical wiring, graphic arts and design, horticulture and information technology.

While many of the seniors are already out working, Daley said there are eight juniors who have completed a year and a half in their shops and are ready now to go out on co-ops, and three more who will be ready soon. One advantage of hiring students in their junior years, he said, is they can start now and continue through the summer.

Taloumis said they have several businesses that hire multiple co-op students.

“Some employers will have juniors one week, and seniors the next week,” he said.

Both Taloumis and Daley said because Westfield Technical Academy shops remained in person throughout the pandemic while academic courses went remote, students did not miss their hands-on technical education. Now that the schools are all back full-time, WTA is back to its regular schedule.

“The hybrid model helped WTA,” Daley said.

He said a new group of freshmen are now in their technical shops, having completed their selections during exploratory week in December.

With COVID-19 restrictions relaxing, Daley said he is hopeful that the number of businesses hiring will increase, and the numbers of students out on co-ops will increase from 50 to 70 this spring. Interested businesses may reach Daley at the school at 572-6533, or by email at k.daley@schoolsofwestfield.org.