Maintain an Occupational Advisory Committee

By: Tim Lyons

Electronics Department Venango Technology Center

     Having a good advisory committee is critical to a Vocational School.  One of the first things Mr. Tarr (Superintendent of Venango Technologies) told me was the Electronics Department needed “New Blood” on the Advisory Board.  This idea appealed to me because I was fresh from industry and had many contacts that could help our students.  I noticed that all of the former members were from one company in our area.  I was out to find the “Fresh Blood” Mr. Tarr requested.

     A very good fried of mine is the head technician for a Telecommunications company and a past student of Venango Technologies.  He was very happy to join our team.  His name is Darrel McKinney and he is now on my board.  I did not get Darrel signed up soon enough to make the first meeting but we meet on a regular basis to talk about employment in the area.  Darrel is going to plan a field trip to his work sight to show the students where they could be working when they are done with school.  I am trying to get Darrel’s company to take one of my kids on Co-op.  Darrel has told me a hundred times that there were not enough qualified people in this area to hire, as a result Darrel works about 70 hours a week.  It is in his best interest to steer these kids in the right direction.

     My second new member is Scott Kinnesmuth, an industrial electronics supplier.  I have known him for about twenty years and I value his insight in his field.  I met with Scott seven or eight times, including today.  We are working on a grant that Venango Technologies could get to be able to put some update items in my lab.  We are trying to get P.L.C. trainers so the students could learn Industrial Robotics Programming.   This skill is much needed in local companies like Joy Technologies, Conair, Franklin Steel and others.  These are high paying jobs in our area.  There is not a school around here that teaches this needed skill including Colleges.  Scott is an upstanding citizen in our community and I am fortunate he has decided to help our kids out.

     A third person who I am trying to get is Don Beounti.  He is in charge of all of Maintenance at Joy Technologies in Franklin.  The Joy is our largest employer in this area.  Don has an electrical engineer and would be a good asset to my program.  I am meeting with him this weekend to discuss the Advisory Committee.  I am hoping Don can help me with some of my Co-op students. 

     At my first meeting I ran into an old friend Fabian Dechant.  He to is a past student at Venango Technologies Center.  (In this field we all tend to know each other because we all help each other out)  Fabian agreed to take one of my better kids on Co-op.  This student (Paul) was the first one sent out of electronics in a long time.  If Paul works hard he will have a job waiting for him when he gets out of school this summer if he chooses to take it. 

     I have introduced my new members to the Superintendent and school Principal.  They were very happy to get the new members involved.  They were also happy that I am very active in the Co-op program.  I am still looking for new members from businesses in our area, after all these people are the ones that are going to hire my kids.

Board Members