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	The Ypsilanti Courier A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

RCTC looks to future

Vocational education may change in several local school districts

By Kathleen Conat, Special Writer

PUBLISHED: September 7, 2006

The Regional Career Technical Center is gearing up for a new year, looking at some changes and waiting word on new requirements.

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According to Bob Wilkinson, Director of Auxiliary Programs with the Ypsilanti School District and overseer of the RCTC program, the classes are full and there is a waiting list of students who want to get in.

RCTC is a vocational education consortium of four local school districts, Lincoln Consolidated, Whitmore Lake, Willow Run and Ypsilanti.

Changes in the program include the loss of longtime Construction Technology teacher John Birko, who has left to take a position with the Ann Arbor schools. Josh Angle, who formerly assisted Birko with the class, has moved into the lead position. A new assistant will be hired.

Wilkinson is busy getting things ready for the Construction Technology class to begin at their new site, on Ainsley Street behind Fletcher School. The rezoning of the property has passed first reading at City Council and is expected to easily pass the final vote.

"We have to get a surveyor out there to mark the lots," said Wilkinson. "We are also getting a permit to put up a storage unit on the last lot. Then we have to submit the plans for the house and get DTE Energy out there to run pole to pole electricity for the actual construction."

Wilkinson planned to meet with neighbors in the area to inform them of what to expect as the two-year project progresses. "I expect we'll break ground on the house sometime in October," he said. "It helps to keeps the neighbors informed and supportive.

"The houses across the street from this project were also built by RCTC, so many of the residents know the quality of work our kids do. I think we'll see a lot of interest."

Another change is the arrival of new Culinary Arts teacher Alice Boss, who will introduce a new curriculum in the food service class. The new program, ProStart, aligns with the state standards and is approved by restaurants and universities.

"ProStart will give our students an advantage, whether they want to continue their education or go straight into the work force," Wilkinson said.

A further effort to aid students in their future endeavors includes the purchase of a new software program for assessing the students' skills and directing their interests toward real world jobs.

"This program will help the kids improve their basic skills by showing them where they are weak and providing them with assignments to bone up and strengthen those areas," Wilkinson said. "If they want to continue on to Washtenaw Community College, they have to be able to pass the Compass test. We want to make sure they're ready."

Wilkinson is also working on getting the Auto Mechanics and Auto Collision courses certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). At the same time, he is working with other vocational education directors to determine what academic credits the vo-ed classes can provide to conform to new state mandates.

"The state started out with the idea the Department of Education would tell us how to determine these credits," Wilkinson said. "But, it handed that off to the districts once the department figured out how complicated this was going to be. So, we have nothing to guide us in this."

The state is also trying to set up new standards for vo-ed training to get in line with national standards. There has been talk of putting a moratorium on adding more classes to vo-ed programs like RCTC until those standards are determined.

"I was hoping to apply for a couple of new classes," Wilkinson said. "We would apply this year, then start them next year. Right now, I'm waiting to hear if I'm going to be allowed to turn in the applications."

Wilkinson said he had hoped to start a class in small engine repair and another in video production. He said the classes were in fields where workers are needed and would give more options to prospective students.