Garrett Career Development Program honors Seniors
Article by Sue Carpenter | KPC News | May 23, 2020
GARRETT — Garrett High School celebrated the second year of its Career Development Program with a virtual signing day May 21.
To comply with COVID-19 guidelines, only a limited number of people attended the signing, while others were invited to attend via Zoom.
The eight honored students and their families joined the celebration virtually. The students are Adrian Crupe, Mateo Fuentes, Calvin Gardner, Brandon Gater, Isaac King, Romano Ritenour, Kalab Robertson and Kaleb Samons.
“This year, eight seniors have secured gainful employment in the industry,” said program director Chad Sutton. “We are here to recognize their hard work and the path these students are pursuing by holding a signing day. This has been an amazing second year. We continue to learn and push through the challenges that we are faced with.”
The Career Development Program seeks to encourage students to explore training, mentorship and programs that develop their skills in manufacturing and construction. In the second year, seniors have successfully completed the integrated program and signed with local companies as new employees.
It also offers a different option, providing an alternative to student loans and a promising job right out of high school. The program can be started as early as fifth grade, equipping students with the skills, experience and connections to be successful in their chosen field.
Students also earned National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) credits, an industry-recognized organization with a mission to build a safe, productive and sustainable workforce of craft professionals.
Crupe is the son of Steve and Beth Crupe.
He successfully interviewed with Shelly Mueller of Dirig Sheet Metal, where he will be working in production and joining the Sheet Metal Workers Local 20 in Fort Wayne.
Crupe joined the Career Development Program as a senior.
“His talents became obvious when he started working with metal in the manufacturing class,” Sutton said. “Adrian was somebody I wish I would have had for four years, but I only had him for a year. He did a heck of a job, and hopefully he does a heck of a job for Dirig and gets to start his career and see where this takes him.
“Great job Adrian for stepping forward and taking this challenge,” said Sutton, who also thanked Mueller for offering Crupe the opportunity.
Fuentes, son of Brian and Jeannette Fingleton, successfully job-shadowed and interviewed with J.O. Mory Inc.
Fuentes will be working in the plumbing and heating-ventilating-air-condition fields until he decides which discipline to pursue.
“He follows in the footsteps of several family members that are also in the trade,” Sutton said.
Fuentes has been in the Career Development Program for two years, studying construction trades. He has earned seven NCCER credentials, 22 Ivy Tech dual credits and a Carpentry Certificate from Ivy Tech.
Sutton thanked John Mory, chief financial officer of J.O. Mory, for giving Fuentes the opportunity.
“He’s already done quite of few different things already,” Mory said of Fuentes’ many skills.
Gardner, son of Jeremy Gardner and Kristine Heimach, is a member of the National Technical Honor Society.
Gardner successfully interviewed with Jade Painter and secured employment with Weigand Construction in the summer of 2019, and he worked his pre-apprenticeship during his senior year at school.
He has been a pre-apprentice with the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters, Carpenters Local Union 232 and will begin his apprenticeship training.
Gardner has been in the Career Development Program for two years, earned seven NCCER credentials and 22 Ivy Tech credits and a Carpentry Certificate from Ivy Tech.
King was able to participate in the school’s SEAL work experience during his senior year and will continue his training and career in the electrical field.
He has been a part of the Career Development Program in construction trades for two years. He earned seven NCCER credentials and 22 Ivy Tech credits and received a Carpentry Certificate from Ivy Tech.
Ritenour is the son of Brent and Joann Ritenour.
He successfully interviewed and secured employment with Mark DeKoninck of Mark’s Woodshop in Garrett.
While continuing to work for Mark’s Woodshop, Ritenour will continue his education at Ivy Tech, pursuing a degree in the construction field.
He has been a member of the Career Development Program studying construction trades for two years. He earned seven NCCER credentials, 22 Ivy Tech credits and a Carpentry Certificate from Ivy Tech.
DeKoninck praised Romano for his great work.
Robertson is the son of Justin Robertson and Nancy Patel.
While in the Career Development Program, Robertson participated in the Architecture Engineering & Design program.
He is one of two students to complete the AutoCAD Certificate from Ivy Tech.
Robertson successfully interviewed with Tracy Tipton from Reliable Tool and Die and participated in the Architecture Engineering & Design SEAL program.
He was part of an internship with Reliable Tool and Die Engineering department. Robertson did such a great job, he was asked to continue his employment through the summer, Sutton said.
Robertson will be attending Purdue University in West Lafayette this fall to study engineering.
Gater, son of Ryan Gater and Genieva Kennedy, is a member of the National Technical Honor Society.
Gater successfully interviewed with Jade Painter and secured employment with Weigand Construction in the summer of 2019 and worked his pre-apprenticeship during school.
He has been a pre-apprentice through the school year with the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters Local Union 232. He will begin his apprenticeship training this fall.
Gater will also pursue a degree in engineering at Purdue Fort Wayne while continuing to work for Weigand Construction.
He has been in the Career Development Program for two years in construction trades, and he is the recipient of the 2019-2020 Construction Trades Scholarship. He earned seven NCCER credentials and 22 Ivy Tech credits and received his Carpentry Certificate from Ivy Tech.
Kyle Gresham, of the IOKRCC Carpenter’s Local Union 232, praised both Gardner and Gater. Both students appeared in the Construction Trades SEAL video produced by the Office of Work-Based and Apprenticeship.
“These two have been working together and doing the same for quite a while. It’s just the coolest thing for a lot of our older (union) members to see the next generation of carpenters stepping up and doing this. I really couldn’t be prouder of these guys,” Gresham said.
King is the son of Chuck and Michelle King.
He successfully interviewed and secured employment with Brian Weller of Weller Electric.
He has been a member of the Career Development Program for two years studying Architecture Engineering & Design, earned 18 Ivy Tech dual credits, an AutoCAD certificate and seven more college credits from other universities. He also earned Revit AutoCad and Inventors certificates.
“Kalab has done a great job, and we look for big things to come from this young man,” Sutton said.
Samons is the son of Tony Ruiz and Jessica Ruiz.
Samons successfully interviewed with Jade Painter and secured employment with Weigand Construction. Samons will be pursuing a career as a carpenter.
He participated in a construction trades SEAL internship during his senior year with Barclay Allen of Timberlin Homes.
He joined the IOKRCC Local 232 Carpenters Union and is a two-year member of the Career Development Program studying construction trades. Samons also earned seven NCCER credentials, 22 Ivy Tech college credits and a Carpentry Certificate from Ivy Tech.
Gresham said he just recently got to know Samons, “but we are really excited to have this young man join us. He’s got experience with other companies. We are looking forward to know him and see what kind of career he is going to grow.”
Sutton thanked the business community for supporting these students and for giving them the opportunity to learn valuable life lessons.
“The amount of knowledge these students learn by working in the industry is not measurable,” Sutton said. “It is the cherry on top of an awesome high school experience.
“There will still be a lot of opportunities for our students to create economic freedom for themselves and their community,” he continued. “I always felt it is our job as adults to show them those opportunities to create environments where they can be passionate about learning and developing, while still being creative.”
Dan Belcher congratulated seniors on behalf of NCCER and Peyton Holland from the National Technical Honor Society praised the student and employers for their accomplishments, along with Mayor Todd Fiandt, Garrett-Keyser-Butler Superintendent Tonya Weaver, Indiana Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, and Matt Pressley, regional director of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship at the Indiana Department of Workplace Development.
“We are excited for you all, we see a bright future. We are glad you chose construction,” Belcher said.
“This skill is a skill that no one can ever take away from you,” Holland told the honorees. “This skill is something that will travel with you through the years, to your homes, and it can improve every aspect of your life.
“Always hold on to the skill, always be hungry to learn more skill and more knowledge, and soak up every chance you can to learn from those you will be working with,” Holland added.
Fiandt thanked the area businesses and industries for “getting these kids on board.”
“I think this is one of the best career development programs in the state of Indiana,” Kruse said. “I am very thankful it is in Garrett and DeKalb County. You are doing a fantastic job, and I think people all over the state are watching what you are doing and they would like to replicate that, and I think others will be replicating what you are doing in Garrett.
“I appreciate the students enrolling in the program, appreciate the teachers who are teaching these students to have these careers, and for the employers to sign them up,” Kruse said. “I think this is great for our community and wonderful for the future in the building trades and construction that needs good workers, so I am thankful that these young students are getting into this trade that will be very good for them their whole career.”
Junior members of the Career Development Program holding summer employment include Brayden Fisher at TJW Industrial, Kaine Bishop at Schenkel Construction, Taylor Delong at Hagerman Construction, Aiden Custer at Gaylor Electric and Marcus Guzman at Brooks Construction.
Article source: https://www.kpcnews.com/garrettclipper/article_a26e1382-e174-5436-9197-36b29cbaffbb.html