trade tech wrote on Sep 16, 2008 4:07 PM:with the economy going south as it is the trades students need to learn are burger-flipping and telemarketing. Sad to say but thanks to GW, we lost the few reamining production-related jobs to the Third World. While Bill Clinton may have signed the NAFTA agreement, GW gave his coporate pals tax breaks to out-source and relocate.

Trade school are a good idea IF wrote on Sep 16, 2008 7:18 PM:Trade schools are a good idea if they prepare students for respectable and well paying jobs. The problem with the construction field is that it has a reputation for low pay, high turn over, and high injury rate. There are some good paying jobs in the field, but they only come with education and/or experience.

I’m sorry but I would not send my high school student to a program where they are learning fractions and division. A freshman in a standard program should be in algebra. The school should not be “figuring out” if the student is meeting California State standards. There needs to be a core curriculum which meets the standards. Then focus on the optional stuff.

Sorry to say this but this school is setting itself up to be an alternative school for those who are not even considering college.

Ralphie wrote on Sep 17, 2008 5:30 AM:Well, what did you expect? The way Morris Vance runs this town, it was bound ot be a bust. We need to get rid of Morris Vance!

To Trade schools are... wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:35 AM:"Sorry to say this but this school is setting itself up to be an alternative school for those who are not even considering college." DUH!!!!! That's exactly what it is! Not everyone is going to go to college! Don't you remember when High Schools use to have Vocational programs?

Kathy wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:44 AM:Let me see if I got the picture reading your article . . . a learning environment where kids are excited and think school is ‘cool.’ Kids that recognize how they learn best and who are engaged in real-world projects that give them the chance to answer the age-old question, ‘why do I have to learn this?’ A school leader that recognizes the power in partnering with students to help them take charge of their learning. Imagine teachers who are taking the time early on in the school year to make sure kids have the basic skills that they need to excel in things like Algebra. And, a school that recognizes that in this day and age kids need both technical skills AND preparation for college. What I can’t imagine is why they don’t have a waiting list. This sounds like nirvana to me! Sign me 'Perplexed in Vista!'

Vista Watchdog wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:51 AM:"Sorry to say this but this school is setting itself up ..."
What does it really matter if people choose to attend college or not? Especially when you realize that US colleges and Universities are graduating more foreign students within the areas of science and math than US students. In fact, the majority of US students attending institutions of higher learning are obtaining degrees in Liberal Arts as opposed to the sciences, engineering, math, and physics. Ever notice how many foreign doctors we have in our hospitals and clinics? That's because our k-12 system is not preparing students to go into these fields!

At least TradeTech is not hiding what they are doing; in fact they are very proud to tell their students they are being prepared to go into a trade that will enable them to get a job! However, when I visited TradeTech I found that they are also placing a very strong emphasis on MATH and other much needed subjects routinely used by those in the trades that have been ignored in the K-12 system. Interestingly enough many of these subjects are exactly those needed if you want to go to college and study something other than Liberal Arts! So, it would not surprise me if students attending TradeTech actually do end up in college and University and do far better than their peers at VHS or RBVHS.

Karl wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:57 AM:To Trade schools are... @ 7:35 AM. Good point you beat me to it.

Trade school are a good idea IF @ 7:18 PM. Where the heck have you been? The only "for low pay, high turn over" jobs are in the entry level. The construction business is begging for highly energetic and smart people. I retired at 50 from the construction business. Which other business can you afford to do that? All my friends wished that they could fix or build anything around the house instead of paying a tradesman 65 to 85 dollars an hour.

As far as "high injury rate" the trade in itself "outside of management" is physical and of course there will be more injuries than a pencil pushing job. The industry has come a long way in the last 20 years a far as safety is concerned. My advice to anyone entering the business is to not work for anyone who does not make safety a number 1 priority as most do. The injury rate is somewhat offset by the fact that most construction workers are in decent shape and don't carry excess weight.

The biggest reason to get into the trades is that your hands-on job cannot be computerized or outsourced. I wouldn't complain about the construction business unless you never need help with your home.

Peace

To Karl Duh Watchdog others wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:10 PM:It is amazing some people read into a post. I wrote “Trade school are a good idea IF” .

1) I said “Trade schools are a good idea” (read it again “ are a good idea”).

2) I said “There are some good paying jobs in the field”. And I clarified it by saying “with education and/or experience”. Check out the want ads. If this trade school can prepare an 18 year old for a $22 /hour job (Statewide average for employed residents), that’s great.

3) The injury/disability rate IS high. I work in the field of job placement. Many people come to us who have worked construction with back, knee and arm problems. Most have not filed a worker comp claim so their numbers aren’t tracked. But believe me it is a problem.

4) An alternative school is NOT the same as trade school. Alternative schools are for students who have had TROUBLE in the standard school. My concern is that if in fact this school is teaching solid academics (and I hope they are) they are not getting the word out. Most parent want their children to have a solid education.

Although I didn’t not specifically say in my post, I do not believe all students should go to college. There are some awesome apprenticeship and vocational schools. However all students should receive a good high school education. If you give up on them when they are starting high school, they won’t have a chance to see how far they can go.

I hope that future stories will focus on the academics being offered. Otherwise parent will opt for other schools.

It would be interesting to know how many of you slam the Guajome Park Academy approach – like Trade Tech. They are also a project based program……

Vista Watchdog wrote on Sep 18, 2008 10:27 AM:To Trade Tech -
Time for you to re-read my post as well. There was nothing negative about TradeTech contain in it. I fully support the school and found it a wonderful alternative to the failures we've seen at most of our public schools in VUSD. As one who owned and operated a business here in Vista for most of my adult years, I see TradeTech filling a void that our schools have ignored for far too long. Anybody who thinks the trades should not be taught to our children should try fixing their own car, building their own house, doing their own plumbing, wiring their own electricity, pouring their own concrete, etc. Most would find themselves lost, injured, out in the cold, and so on! Of course, I guess we could just keep importing people for other countries to come to the jobs Americans CAN'T do!

To Vista Watchdog wrote on Sep 18, 2008 7:44 PM:I did read your post. If you see my topic, you will see that it was addressed to multiple people.

I think EVERYONE should have some basic car repair, home repair classes etc. Even if one cannot do the jobs themselves they need to have some basic knowledge so they aren’t cheated.

Teach the skills. But don’t ignore education at the expense of “teaching a trade”.