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Re-branding the UM College of Technology – Vocational tech grads buck the jobs trend

University of Montana College of Technology http://www.cte.umt.edu/ Dean Barry Good says the images of students hammering away in a shop does not accurately reflect where the College of Technology is today, or where they are headed.

Good says 53% of the population utilizes a two-year program, but only 27% of Montanans utilize the five Colleges of Technology in the state.

A grant from the Lumina Foundation http://www.luminafoundation.org/ , called "College Now" http://www.mus.edu/data/briefs/COLLEGENOW-OnePager.pdf , is helping to host a series of discussions to strengthen the program at the University of Montana’s College of Technology.

College Now will help the COT build relationships with local businesses, work with local high schools to provide students with college credit and a new name may also be considered for the college.

by Robin O’Day (KPAX News)

Full Story: http://www.kpax.com/news/re-branding-the-um-college-of-technology/

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Vocational tech grads buck the jobs trend

"I don’t really like the second shift," Nick Senniti, 20, says. "But you’ve got to start somewhere."

Despite the worst job market in decades, Senniti had three job offers right out of high school.

CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano reports Senniti graduated in 2009 as a certified welder from a Career and Technical Education high school — or what used to be called vocational education. He now works for Air Products in Allentown, Pa.

John McGlade, president and CEO of Air Products, says 4,000 of his 7,500 U.S. employees are skilled workers. His global company designs and builds high-tech hydrogen equipment and devices.

McGlade is "worried" he won’t be able to find skilled workers in the future. He hires about 550 U.S. workers a year. Three-hundred-and-sixty are technically skilled positions that require two years of college or advanced certification. These positions can often go unfilled for 12 months.

"You need people who are electronics experts, instrument technicians, mechanics," McGlade said.

This year funding for vocational education was cut by $140 million and President Obama is proposing a 20 percent cut next year.

By Elaine Quijano

Full Story: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/12/eveningnews/main20119521.shtml?tag=cbsnewsTwoColUpperPromoArea

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