In response to the President’s call in his State of the Union address for a greater investment of funds to “prepare for jobs of tomorrow,” the Department of Education’s Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) is embarking on a month-long series of visits to model programs across the country.  Carroll County Public Schools was chosen as the first stop in the series of visits to showcase exemplary career programs focused on advanced manufacturing and the Manufacturing and Machine Technologies (MMT) program at Carroll County Career and Technology Center (CCCTC) was selected as a result of having recently received NIMS Accreditation.  Brenda Dann-Messier, United States Department of Education's Assistant Secretary for the OVAE, and Deputy Assistant Secretary Johan Uvin were joined by several key policy staffers from the Department, as well as numerous State and local officials including Assistant State Superintendent Katharine Oliver and Superintendent of Carroll County Schools, Stephen Guthrie.

NIMS Interim Director James Wall and Director of Accreditation Catherine Ross were in attendance, with Mr. Wall contributing to the event as a panelist in a roundtable discussion that was facilitated by Assistant Secretary Dann-Messier and Deputy Assistant Secretary Uvin.  The panel shared insight on the types of practices that are censure high quality career programs in advanced manufacturing. The Assistant Secretary's questions highlighted the need for national industry certifications and she showed very strong support for the NIMS mission.  Several other local industry people echoed the importance of our certifications.

Following this discussion, attendees were invited to take a student-led tour, in which attendees could learn about the equipment and their processes from students that are currently enrolled in classes at the Center.   Among those students was a recent graduate of the program, who emphasized that having earned NIMS Credentials led directly to his being hired by General Dynamics. 

Attendees then convened for a second roundtable discussion, this time highlighting the perspectives and experiences of current students, their parents, and of recent graduates.  These panel members voiced their support for career-technical education and noted that the program met students' needs for applied learning in a highly technical, hands-on environment.  Students included on this panel ranged from first- or second-year students, to one who had only been in the program for a week, but was already convinced that he had made the right choice for pursuing his long-term career goals.

Panel #1 Included:

• Tim Blizzard, Instructor, Manufactuing & Machine Technologies, CCCTC
• Bill Eckles, Principal, CCCTC
• Kathy Hunter, Western Electric
• Judy Loar, Principal Investigator, The TIME Center at the Community
• College of Baltimore County (CCBC)
• Marjorie Lohnes, Supervisor of Career & Technology Education, CCCTC
• Jess Parry, Ridge Engineering
• Mike Raab, AB Technologies
• James Wall, Interim Director, NIMS
• Bill Werneke, Instrucor, Manufacturing Technology Center, CCBC

Panel #2 Included:

• Brandon Barnes, Research & Development student in MMT Program
• Kevin Barnes, Father of Brandon Barnes
• Mark Leister, student at Manchester Valley High School & MMT Program completer
• Mr. & Mrs. Leister, Parents of Mark Leister
• Sharon Miller, USDE Director, Division of Academic & Technical Education, OVAE
• Mark Osterhouse, student at CCCTC & Francis Scott Key High School
• Kevin Seibel, 2011 CCPS & MMT Graduate, currently employed at General Dynamics in Westminster, MD
• Taylor Snyder, Francis Scott Key High School student, MMT Program completer, & student intern at CCCTC

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