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SPRINGFIELD - Educators and high-tech industry leaders agreed yesterday to develop an ingredient for the region's economic success, inspired teachers of technology.
"We are hoping that if we provide highly skilled teachers of technology in our school systems, they will inspire students to go into the high-tech work force," said Andrew M. Scibelli, president of Springfield Technical Community College.
A shortage of technicians in the region and in the country was the reason for the conference Scibelli hosted on "Emerging Technologies, Schools and the Community.'' About 35 business leaders and 30 teachers and administrators attended.
Michael P. Harrison, executive director of the Massachusetts Telecommunications Council, said the companies he represents could place 1,500 trained electronic technicians and engineers in Western Massachusetts at any given time.
And David Moquin, a consultant employed at the STCC National Center for Telecommunications Technologies, said there will be a need for 25 teachers of technology in Massachusetts high schools in the next seven years.
Scibelli announced an informal partnership with Westfield State College and the school of Springfield and Westfield. They are to inform students in middle and high schools about jobs in technology, encourage them to attend STCC upon graduation for technical courses and then transfer to Westfield State after two years and work toward a bachelor's degree and teaching certification.
"We bring our technology. Westfield State brings its teacher certification training," Scibelli said. "And business input is critical if we are going to design a curriculum to fit their needs."
The schools have been encouraged by the National Science Foundation to seek grants for this collaboration, Scibelli said, but the informal partnership will continue whether or not outside funding comes.
Industry help toward this goal is important for funding and for encouragement and cooperation, the educators said.
One proposal STCC officials presented to business leaders suggested they sponsor high school seniors to study both technology and education in college with the idea of bypassing industry job possibilities so they could teach technology at the high school level.
Robert Browning, a vice president for manufacturing at Milltech Corp. in Deerfield, said industry sponsorships of what he called "teacherships" make long-term sense.
"What is needed is education and training. We need to develop the interest in technology at an early age and let the young students know what is out there," said Browning, whose company grew from 100 workers to 200 in the past six years.
Nicholas Massa, a co-director of the National Center for Telecommunications Technology, said STCC graduates in technical programs like laser optics have had great success landing jobs and average starting salaries with a two year degree are $25,000 to $40.000.
W. Geoffrey Little, the president of Telitcom Corp., said educators and business leaders have a history of paying lip service to cooperation but letting it go at that.
"Typically, industry has complained that schools are not teaching the right thing, but when asked to help, they say they don't have time. Schools have said that development of curriculum should be left to the professors," Little said. "Educators have to work with industry in a partnership that will sustain the New England region."
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