Let’s Talk Shop

The BVT approach to Career Technical Education (CTE) encourages the exploration of rigorous vocational, technical, and academic skills. Our academic teachers and vocational instructors work in concert, continually assisting students with career planning through a CTE lens. While our program offerings cover many professional areas, there is no better way to gain valuable insights and knowledge about a prospective career path than first-hand from a trade professional.

To help students evaluate career options, our Career Enrichment team held its 2nd Day with Industry Experts on December 18th. The event, by design, allows juniors actively career planning and seeking jobs to hear and talk with various business and industry leaders and learn more about their professional experiences, credentials, further education, and the day-to-day realities of their full-time employment.

The schedule of events included three sessions and five panels to maximize the time of our students, staff, and guest speakers. A panel moderator directed each session to allow students time to ask questions or speak one-on-one with the industry representatives after the presentation.

The panels comprised of individuals from the following occupational areas:
• Health, Wellness, and Beauty
• Automotive, Commercial Utilities, and Manufacturing       
• Uniformed Services and First Responders
• Construction Trades and Heavy Machine Operation         
• Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

After the Uniformed Services panel, we spoke to a few of our students to hear their thoughts on the event. Here’s what they shared with us:

Connor Lane of Hopedale, a junior in our Electrical program, said, “It was pretty cool speaking with Ben DeBoer, a BVT graduate, about the Army National Guard and trying on his tactical vest. It was helpful to have different forces of the U.S. military branches represented on the panel and to hear first-hand about their experiences. I am interested in learning more about ROTC programs, which assist students through college in exchange for military service after graduation.”

Dylan Fleming of Millbury, a junior in our HVAC/R program, stayed behind to talk more with Anthony Sullivan, an Environmental Police Officer. He shared, “Officer Sullivan went to the University of Maine. I want to pursue a similar career path and become an Environmental Police Officer. I want to study environmental science at the same college, so hearing his perspective was helpful and informative.”

“I enjoyed hearing from the experts,” said Parker Waugh, a junior in Electronics. “I am currently keeping all my options open. I haven’t decided what to pursue after graduation, but I might be interested in STEM in the military and a career as an Engineer.”

Along with our students’ appreciation, we want to thank the industry experts who took time out of their schedules to partner with the Career Enrichment department and made this day possible. They are the leaders that inspire and shape our student’s future careers.