High school, followed by four to six years of studying at a college or university, a weepy graduation, a first job, and then mortgage to pay off a seemingly insurmountable college debt. These are the career progression steps that have been deemed the “norm” by the American public for close to 40 years. But this path comes with many uncertainties. Many college students graduate and are unable to use their degree due to lack of hiring in their field and have to begin to pay off their college debt without a stable job to support it. It is these uncertainties, paired with the average cost of college reaching above thirty thousand dollars per year, that has led the prospective workforce to search for different career paths.
Since Woodgrove’s conception, the Manufacturing and Materials and Process courses, more commonly known as “The Shop,” have played a pivotal role in introducing young students to certain skills they will use for the rest of their lives. These manufacturing courses have laid the groundwork for students to begin to understand different career paths and discover skills and passions about themselves that can be applied in other areas of life.
In The Shop, Woodgrove students learn how to safely use a variety of tools and study and implement the processes that go into designing, creating, and selling products. Mr. Kevin Copley, who teaches all of the Woodgrove manufacturing courses, discussed what these students learn in class. He explained, “Students learn how to use all the equipment that is available in the shop. They learn how to craft products out of wood, metal, plastic, or concrete. We cover basic CAD [Computer Aided Design] skills, how to use a laser engraver, the basics of forging, and then how to take these products and market and sell them to a consumer base.” These courses have laid the framework for students to discover career paths that do not revolve around the typical four year pathway. Senior Duncan Mackey reflected on his time in the courses. “Freshman and sophomore year I took Woodgrove’s basic manufacturing courses. I learned everything from welding to mass producing products and all your basic woodshop skills. It was my time in these courses that helped me learn more about myself and led me to apply to the welding program at the Academies of Loudoun,” he said.
The Woodgrove workshop courses develop students’ skills in a way that is different from the typical book classes. “There are lots of careers related to the CTE environment that you can make good money out of. You don’t just need a 4 year degree to make a good living. Alumni of technical schools usually find themselves with a six figure salary and no debt after completing their schooling,” said Copley. Many of these pathways offer direct apprenticeships into jobs across the nation and provide a straight pipeline from technical school into the blue collar workforce. Ryder Fiala, a senior, plans to attend the University of Northwestern Ohio, one of the top technical schools in the country. “My time in the shop with teachers like Mr. Copley and Mr. Jose has been huge in helping me discover that I don’t need to attend a big four year university to make a good living out of college,” said Fiala.
But even without going to college for a CTE related program, The Shop still offers vital life skills that are applicable in just about everything. Copley said, “When you’re a homeowner, the skills that you learn in the shop can be vital when something comes up. You don’t always want to be calling in someone to do a job that you can do with a good set of tools and the right knowledge.”
The Woodgrove manufacturing courses are influential in showing students different pathways in life. Schooling happens in the classroom, but for a great many students, the hands-on experience offered by The Shop helps students find purpose in their work. Copley explained, “Education is important, but I think sometimes we put too much emphasis on in-the-box schooling. A strong education doesn’t just have to happen in the classroom, it can be on the job training, or apprenticeships and getting certifications so that you can get a job and make a living.”