On March 9, the Piping Industry visited Rogers High School to help Dr. Romules Durant, Superintendent of the Toledo Public School District, experience firsthand the partnership between the skilled trades and the school district’s Career Technology Department.
Along with Dr. Durant, the Piping Industry’s Chris Weaver and Steve Stewart met with Keith Dawson, program coordinator for the Construction Career Academy; Tom Dimitrew, director of Agriculture, Construction and Engineering for TPS; and the Career Technology Advisory Committee.
Dr. Durant got the chance to get his hands dirty as he interacted with real life scenarios, like donning a safety harness hooked to a chain-fall while a student lifted him above the ground.
He also tested his skill cutting some 2x4s with a miter saw and soldering a ½” copper elbow onto a piece of copper tubing. He got a chance to sit in the back hoe simulator before getting the firsthand experience of actually operating a fully functional one outside in the parking lot.
The day was a great success. Some good relationships were made, and the students had fun seeing their superintendent in some funny situations.
Steve Stewart of the Piping Industry plans on partnering with Tom Dimitrew to tour the rest of the Toledo Public School District’s high schools. Their goal is to introduce TPS students and their parents to the opportunities available in the skilled trades, specifically in the piping industry. The Piping Industry looks forward to continuing to work with young people in our region’s schools in order to encourage education and job creation.
