“
I was astonished with the
work I had done. I have
never really challenged
myself in engineering
until I came to West.
The engineering program
really had an impact on
my life and how I think
because it changed my
mentality as an
engineer as a whole.”
Jennifer, Grade 11
FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE CONSTRUCTION
SITE… OR THE CORNER OFFICE
As part of the “apprenticeship”-style approach of the Engineering
Technology Academy, West Catholic Prep educators work to bridge
students from coursework experiences to higher education, internships,
and post-graduation job opportunities.
Each year, Baxter looks for opportunities to bring STEM-field
professionals into the classroom, giving children the opportunity to
broaden their understanding of what kind of jobs are out there,
and how the lessons they’re learning today apply to future
career possibilities.
“Kids are shy, they don’t naturally reach out, so having an employer
standing in front of the classroom is really helpful,” Baxter says. “We
introduce them to different fields, to jobs that they may not have even
realized were a thing.”
“You ask yourself, ‘What’s a widget? Does someone out there make
these things?’”
Baxter’s insistence on connecting students to employers and other
STEM professionals is paying off. In addition to half of last year’s ETA
graduates going on to pursue four-year degrees in STEM fields, a
number were able to secure internships at manufacturing companies.
“Two students completed interships at KL Machine, Inc. in Bensalem,
where they worked in an inspection room and created 3D models
of various parts. Another two students began to learn support for
manufacturing operations at Acme Corrugated Box Company in
Northeast Philly.”
“Another student was inspired by a visit from Target Building
Construction, and she applied the very next day after their visit,”
Baxter says. “What’s really cool is that she left high school with a
year and a half of experience in construction management based on
her own career identity formation within our program.” We know that
process will be different for everyone, but we aim to help students
know what opportunities exist along with the types of training and
post-secondary education each one might require.”
THREE PATHS TO
CAREERS IN STEM
West Catholic Preparatory Engineering Technology
Academy gives students multiple paths for leveraging
their mechanical and engineering knowledge into post-
graduation success. Here’s a look at the routes students
can choose to pursue.
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