We Can: "On the Job Training"
by Keegan Wallace
Whether it’s inside or out of doors, LCCTC’s students are ready to work.
Being at a trade school we, obviously, have trade shops and complete a lot of hands-on projects — this is certainly true of Electrical Occupations.
Recently, they installed not one, but two scoreboards in the gym by themselves — with the help of their knowledgeable teacher of course, Mr. Pete Montini who jokes with us, “I’m more than just a pretty face!” Believe it or not, that hasn’t been the hardest tasks they’ve ever completed! No strangers to putting in a hard-day’s work, students have dug trenches and run underground wires for security lights, they have gotten into basket cranes to install lighting in the school’s parking lot, and they have assisted running wire both above and below the school.
Does a little hard work scare they away? No sirree!
Cody Marks, EO junior says that while tasks like conduit bending can be a challenge, it was working on the lift to install the scoreboards was one of his hardest tasks to date. “It was pretty high up, and though I was following safety rules like being harnessed in and avoiding all forms of horseplay, I still made sure that every move I made was secure and safe.” Cody also comments that he was able to gain valuable experience and knowledge to help him in the future field of work.
Ethan Stoner, also an EO junior chuckles, “The toughest part of my day was taking orders from Cody.” These students have obviously learned to enjoy their time together, but know how to buckle down and work when its time.
“One lesson I learned from the project,” continues Ethan, “is how to correctly do box offsets.” These skills are true-to-the-career and help make our students prepared to enter the workforce a step ahead of others.
William Fulmer appreciates the opportunity to study at LCCTC: “Working together on projects like this helps prepare us for the world of work because it gives us the opportunity to put into realistic practice the type of work we will do and shows us how the work should be done.”
From their instructor, Mr. Montini, these kids have learned when it’s time to go to work, and when it’s okay for them to laugh a bit. They learn this through both skill lessons that will help them land a good job, earn their way into the union, or enter future post-secondary training and through life lessons that will help them become a successful employee, future business owner, and citizen. These students are much more than pretty faces!
