PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The School District of Philadelphia is giving a second chance to vocational graduates whose industry certifications were derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the last two years, career and technical education graduates didn't have an opportunity to earn industry certifications because they weren't at the district's kitchens, labs and machine shops in person. The district is now offering those students an opportunity to return to school to get them.
"We are currently seeking these graduates so that they can come back and work with our teachers or partners to earn their certification," said Michelle Armstrong, executive director of the district's office of Career and Technical Education. The district has emailed CTE grads, including about 850 members of the class of 2021, to inform them of the opportunity.
"In some cases it may be current teachers that will set up an opportunity on the weekends or after school for students to get industry certification, or partner with an existing organization for them to get that," Armstrong said Thursday at a virtual news briefing.
Warren Crosby, a senior at Ben Franklin High School's precision machining program, was denied hands-on time with the machines because of virtual learning last school year. "We learned a lot about measurements. We learned quality control. We also learned time management," Crosby said of his online lessons.
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His teacher, Ronald Sizer, said while it wasn’t ideal, students made the best of virtual learning. "Being home really gave us an opportunity to focus on our OSHA certificates, studying safety of the shop," said Sizer, who remotely guided students through his handyman projects.
"I fixed everything from the sink to the garage door to the front door. And I just set the camera there and we walked through it, we talked about it. So they learned how to do home improvement projects as well."
There's no substitute, however, for in-person experience, Sizer said. "Precision machining is about being on a machine, running machines, cutting materials."
Armstrong says nearly 100 students have responded, saying they were interested in pursuing the certification that was delayed by COVID-19.
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