Career and technical education with a delicate touch.

Career and technical education with a delicate touch. There are some professions in which tradition holds strong, inwhich one generation schools the next in the techniques of the trade.These services help us maintain some of our dearest possessions--such asan antique watch or a prized violin--with their specialized skill anddelicate touch. But not all of these technicians enter the field through the familybusiness. In fact, many are graduates of some of CTE's most uniqueprograms. And, while they are trained in techniques that have existedfor centuries, they are also, in other cases, on the cutting edge. These trades, such as instrument repair and jewelry jewelry,personal adornments worn for ornament or utility, to show rank or wealth, or to follow superstitious custom or fashion.The most universal forms of jewelry are the necklace, bracelet, ring, pin, and earring. making, have along, but steady history. While these careers only draw a small segmentof the population, it is certainly not for lack of work. Today, the needfor these services remains strong. Programs specializing in these areashave incredibly high job placement rates, and graduates can often bevery choosey choos��yalso choos��ey ?adj. choos��i��er, choos��i��estVery careful in choosing; highly selective.choosi��ness n. . Unfortunately, because the teaching in these areas is so laborintensive Labor IntensiveA process or industry that requires large amounts of human effort to produce goods.Notes:A good example is the hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants, etc), they are considered to be very people-oriented.See also: Capital Intensive, Trading Dollars and can require costly equipment, these types of programsoften lose out in the bureaucratic bu��reau��crat?n.1. An official of a bureaucracy.2. An official who is rigidly devoted to the details of administrative procedure.bu shuffle. Those that have found waysto endure, however, are giving their students excellent experiences andopportunities. Keeping Time For students in the watchmaking and micro-mechanical technologyprogram at Saint Paul Saint Paul,city (1990 pop. 272,235), state capital and seat of Ramsey co., E Minn., on bluffs along the Mississippi River, contiguous with Minneapolis, forming the Twin Cities metropolitan area; inc. 1854. College, a community and technical college inSaint Paul, Minn., the future is certainly bright. They are receivingtop-notch training in a thriving field. It's a great time to bestarting a career in watch repair, according to according toprep.1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.2. In keeping with: according to instructions.3. Joe Juaire, programdirector. First and foremost, graduates have a host of job opportunitieswaiting for them. It's a trend that Juaire anticipates willcontinue for the foreseeable future. While the demand for high-endwatches and watch repair continues to grow, the number of technicianshas steadily decreased over the last couple of decades. That means that today the Saint Paul graduates are finding jobplacements that earn $60,000 to $65,000 a year, which is twice whatgraduates were making five years earlier. This increased demand results from what Juaire calls a kind of"renaissance" of high-end mechanical watches. Beginning in the1990s, he explains, there was a resurgence of these watches beingimported from Switzerland and bought by American consumers. Since then,he says, "it's gradually increased to the point where therejust aren't enough technicians to successfully repair watcheswithout some additional support from industry." Such support is necessary, explains Juaire, because these programsare not considered "cost effective" by bureaucratic standards."It's labor-intensive teaching" that requires a highlevel of individual attention, he says. The student-to-teacher ratio atSaint Paul, for instance, is 12 to 1. To maintain this low ratio and high standard, Rolex has providedfinancial support to the program in the form of a renewable five-year,$1-million grant. The program is one of three in the U.S. sponsored byRolex. The others are at North Seattle Community College North Seattle Community College (NSCC) is a two-year public college. It is one of the four colleges comprising the Seattle Community College District, and one of the 32 member colleges of the Washington Community and Technical Colleges system. and LititzWatch Technicum in Pennsylvania; the latter is subsidized sub��si��dize?tr.v. sub��si��dized, sub��si��diz��ing, sub��si��diz��es1. To assist or support with a subsidy.2. To secure the assistance of by granting a subsidy. entirely byRolex. But these programs are not merely a breeding ground for futureRolex employees, Juaire points out. "They're doing thisbecause they appreciate the high-end watch market, which they're amajor part of, and they want to make sure that there are watch repairtechnicians out there to fix everybody's watches, not justtheirs," he says. This concern is a valid one; without special funding, manywatchmaking and repair programs have closed. "When I started theprofession in 1987, there were 18,000 watchmakers," he recalls."Today, there are 3,800." Another reason for the declining number, says Juaire, is thespecialized nature of the field. A career in watchmaking isn'tsomething a person might consider unless he or she has a high-end watch,he explains. "And, typically, if you can afford a $5,000 watch thenyou're not looking for Looking forIn the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a career change." Increased publicity has recently helped get the word out, though,according to Juaire. "I had 170 people apply for the 12 positions Ihad open this January," he says, "but, we definitely needmore. The more interest the factories have in supporting programs, themore programs we can have." The program at Saint Paul not only receives financial support fromRolex, but also instructional support from the prestigious Watchmakersof Switzerland Training and Education Program (WOSTEP WOSTEP Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program ). SaintPaul's program is one of only four in the United States United States,officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , and 14worldwide, that have received accreditation from WOSTEP. Its curriculumis considered the highest standard, says Juaire. While traditional techniques are very strong in watchmaking andrepair, there have also been changes resulting from the use ofcomputer-aided design and manufacturing Computer-aided design and manufacturingThe application of digital computers in engineering design and production. Computer-aided design (CAD) refers to the use of computers in converting the initial idea for a product into a detailed engineering design. , he says. This means thattoday's technicians need an even greater dexterity than theirpredecessors. Juaire likens the precision to that required of an eyesurgeon. Although intense, this line of work can be incredibly rewarding."The profession is so wonderful, because it's not the sametask everyday," says Juaire. "It's a challenging job notonly because problems vary, but also because it's so detailoriented o��ri��ent?n.1. Orient The countries of Asia, especially of eastern Asia.2. a. The luster characteristic of a pearl of high quality.b. A pearl having exceptional luster.3. and exacting. When you're done, you know that you'vedone it to exact standards, and it's going to work," heexplains. "So there's a lot of satisfaction in that." Play it Again Another Minnesota college offers a similarly unique program, but inthis case the students are learning to repair instruments, not watches. At the Red Wing campus of Minnesota State College-SoutheastTechnical, Lisbeth Nelson Butler's students spend nine monthslearning the fine skills required to repair violins. It's the onlystand-alone program of its kind in the United States. "There are a few violin-making programs [in the nation] thatincorporate a certain degree of instruction in repair, but not as astand-alone program," explains Butler. "So, if people want thehands-on skills, this is the number one place to come." Perhaps because it is so unique, the program draws a diverse rangeof students. They include recent high school graduates, those withgraduate and professional degrees, as well as retirees. And, while moststudents come from the Midwest, they have also come to the program fromas far away as Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. And their reasons for enrolling are as diverse as theirbackgrounds, adds Butler. While some know how to play the violin, andthus test out of the required music course, others simply like workingwith their hands. "We've had a number of students come to usfrom cabinetmaking cab��i��net��mak��er?n.An artisan specializing in making fine articles of wooden furniture.cab ," she says. While she admits that violin repair is an obscure line of work, shepoints out that the benefits can be very attractive. First and foremost,the program boasts a 100 percent job placement rate. Butler keeps anongoing list of job openings for her students. Some of the positionshave gone unfilled for 10 years, she says. "It's up to thestudents where they want to work. It's up to them to find the jobsthat will suit them." Those jobs can include an entry-level position at a high-qualityviolin shop or a repairer at a music store, which typically offer astarting salary of $30,000 to $40,000. For some students, the ultimategoal is self-employment, which can lead to a much higher income. That requires a few years of experience in the field, though,according to Butler. Although the 39-credit program is a "goodfoundation," she says, "it's just that--afoundation." The intense program does require a lot of dedication. It isdesigned for the beginner, she explains, so those admitted need no priorexperience with woodworking, tools or music. Students need a great dealof interest to stick it out, though, she adds. Thankfully, many have astrong passion for the field. And with such excellent job placement,recent graduates have always been able to put that passion intopractice. A Gem of a Program Like Butler's students, many of those in the jewelryfabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´shn),n the construction or making of a restoration. and repair program at Austin Community College Austin Community College is a regional community college district with seven campuses located in various areas of Central Texas. The college's district is made up of the City of Austin and the Austin, Leander, Manor and Del Valle Independent School Districts. (ACC See adaptive cruise control. ) lookforward to not only working with their hands, but hopefully,self-employment. The majority of graduates work independently, according to programdirector Bill Evans For other uses see: Bill Evans (disambiguation).William John Evans (better known as Bill Evans) (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was one of the most famous and influential American jazz pianists of 20th-century. . Unless they're in New York New York, state, United StatesNew York,Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of or Los Angeles Los Angeles(lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. where they can specialize, jewelers generally have to be able to cover avariety of areas. "They may do trade or wholesale work for otherjewelers, but most have their own shops," where they do repair andsell some of their own pieces, he says. This independence helped attract Evans to the profession as well.Having originally studied in metal sculpture, he was drawn to theartistry art��ist��ry?n.1. Artistic ability: a sculptor of great artistry.2. Artistic quality or craft: the artistry of a poem. of the profession. While working jobs that gave him experiencein the commercial side of jewelry, he continued to sell his own customwork. Today, he has about 33 years of experience in the field and holdsa national master's certification from the Jewelers of America(JA). Knowing Evans' background, it is not surprising that the ACCjewelry program focuses as much on the artistic aspects of jewelrymaking as on the commercial. Other programs train students to become"mechanics," he says, in which they mostly work with otherpeoples' designs by producing the whole piece, executing a portionof it (the stone setting or finishing, for instance) or repairing thepiece. "In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke"put differently , they're not designing it from theground up," explains Evans. "But in our jewelry program,design is part of the main emphasis. So it has a more artistic bent toit." This emphasis is part of the reason why students work primarilywith traditional techniques and tools. For example, in the stone settingcourses, instructor Stanley Young teaches students how to use gravers tochisel chiselCutting tool with a sharpened edge at the end of a metal blade, used (often by driving with a mallet or hammer) in dressing, shaping, or working a solid material such as wood, stone, or metal. pieces in a technique known as "bright cutting," whichrequires a great deal of strength and precision. Today, however, somejewelers use pneumatic pneumatic/pneu��mat��ic/ (noo-mat��ik)1. pertaining to air.2. respiratory.pneu��mat��icadj.1. Of or relating to air or other gases.2. gravers instead, which require little force. In his 60 years of experience, Young worked as a principal stonesetter setter:see sporting dog. setterAny of three breeds derived from a medieval hunting dog that would set (lie down) when it found birds so that it and the birds could be covered with a net. Setters have long hair on the ears, chest, legs, and tail. in New York for Tiffany Tiffany, Tiffanie (UK)a semi-longhaired version of the Burmese cat. It has a fine, silky coat in many colors. & Co., Hammerman Brothers andRosenthal Jewelers. As an expert in the field, Young prides himself onkeeping this fading art alive by teaching students how to make qualitypieces. "To have someone like Stanley is extremely valuable,"says Evans. "A lot of what he knows, you can't find inbooks." There are also elements of the field that will always remain thesame regardless of technology, Evans points out. Jewelry is an ancientart, and the basic forms are those that people have been dealing withover time. A large part of that, he explains, is that jewelry is bodyornament--it must be not only beautiful, but also functional. But withinthe forms, there are some stylistic changes, he notes. It is not only the artistic bent that has kept ACC's programmore traditional, it is also an issue of space and funding. The470-square-foot classroom must hold workbenches for 10 students, sospacing is already cramped. "We're not at the place where wecan expand yet," says Evans. While there is no room for physical expansion, there is definitelya great deal of interest in the program. Evans estimates that,"we're turning away at least as many as we're enrollingright now." Perhaps they will have to turn even more away as word spreads aboutthe program. After all, ACC only began offering its 69-creditassociate's degree as��so��ci��ate's degreen.An academic degree conferred by a two-year college after the prescribed course of study has been successfully completed. in jewelry fabrication and repair in 2001. Forits first 10 years in place, the program had only offered a 16-creditcertificate. The new degree is designed to prepare students for earninga JA national certification national certificationLab medicine A voluntary form of regulation that affirms that a person has the knowledge and skill to perform essential tasks in a given field, in the lab or in nursing; NC is granted by nongovernmental agencies or associations with . Artistry and Beauty Career and technical education programs are generally defined asbeing "practical" in nature, preparing students for promisingcareers that make valuable contributions to society. However, CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion) The difference between the way two materials expand when heat is applied. This is very critical when chips are mounted to printed circuit boards, because the silicon chip expands at a different rate than the plastic board. encompasses such a broad spectrum of fields that no one word canaccurately sum up its nature. These unique programs serve as just another reminder of how manydifferent types of opportunities CTE offers. Although they are practicalin that they teach students employable skills, they are so much more. In learning how to build and repair fine watches, repair elegantviolins or create beautiful pieces of jewelry, these students arelearning not only practical skills, but artistry as well. As with all ofCTE, they are helping to enrich people's lives through their work. Sadly, what makes these fields so unique is what puts them atperil. In such specialized areas, techniques can be lost over time ifthey are not continually passed from one generation to the next. Theseprograms, however, are helping to keep traditions alive, giving theirstudents the knowledge and skills they need to keep the world'swatches ticking tickinga coat color pigmentation pattern in which hairs of one color are distributed in small groups throughout the background color, e.g. Australian cattle dog. Called also speckling. , instruments playing and fingers bejeweled be��jew��eledor be��jew��elled ?adj.Decorated with or as if with jewels. . They are,quite simply, making the world a more beautiful place. For More Information To learn more about the programs featured in this article, visit: Saint Paul College www.saintpaul.edu Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical www.southeastmn.edu Austin Community College www.austin.cc.tx.us Jewelers of America www.jewelers.org