Friends of Vocational Technical & Agricultural Education,
We are excited to share a recent event that MAVA participated in at Worcester Tech. A delegation from the state of Piauí, Brazil, including Gov. Rafael T. Fonteles, met with Worcester Public School leaders, officials from the Massachusetts Secretary of Education’s office and other supporters of vocational technical & agricultural education from various sectors.
Massachusetts’ Chapter 74 vocational technical & agricultural programs have long been nationally recognized and again internationally recognized! Looking to establish programs in information technology and clean energy in schools, the delegation was interested in the Chapter 74 close relationships between our local businesses and universities.
David
Brazil governor Rafael Fonteles gives high marks to Worcester Technical High School
Jeff A. Chamer, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Worcester Technical High School junior Antonio Sousa Carvalho, left, walks with Rafael T. Fonteles, governor of the state of Piaui, Brazil, and F. Washington Bandeira, right, secretary of state of education of Piauí, during Fonteles’ visit on Tuesday.
WORCESTER — The successes of Worcester Technical High School’s vocational programs have not only been nationally recognized but now internationally recognized.
Looking to establish programs in information technology and clean energy in schools in the state of Piauí, Brazil, officials, including Gov. Rafael T. Fonteles, met with Worcester Public School leaders on Tuesday to learn how it can be accomplished.
“We wanted to visit Worcester Tech High School because it is a reference and we would like to be inspired by you and copy you,” Fonteles said. “We will make great efforts to bring high school and work labor markets closer together, as well as higher education.”
Fonteles said he was impressed with the number of programs offered at Worcester Tech and hopes to begin offering five to six in their schools soon. He would like the number to grow closer to the 20 programs offered by Worcester Tech, but across multiple schools in his Brazilian state.
–
Two major areas his schools hope to focus on, he said, are information technology and clean energy. As the information tech sector continues to grow, Fonteles said, he wants his students to be ready to join the workforce.
Piauí is one of the largest solar energy producers in Brazil, and the third-largest wind energy producer, and Fonteles wants to ensure that is being integrated in career technical education as well.
Rafael T. Fonteles, governor of the state of Piaui, Brazil, participates in a roundtable discussion at Worcester Technical High School on Tuesday.
But in order to get an understanding of how to make these programs possible and translate them to schools in Piauí, Fonteles and other officials took the opportunity to ask questions about how the programs are structured and what is required of students throughout their time in the program.
Worcester school leaders, including Superintendent Rachel H. Monárrez, School Committee member Sue Mailman and Worcester Tech Principal Drew Weymouth, broke down the structure for them, explaining the number of hours required in a vocational program and how the programs are integrated into the school curriculum.
Interested in working with city, state
Fonteles said he was also interested in working with Worcester and Massachusetts overall, because of the Bay State’s goal in expanding career technical education, the close relationships between the public schools and local businesses and universities, and the large population of Brazilians in the state and city.
Bob LaPage, the assistant secretary for career education with the Executive Office of Education, said that only 20% of students in the state are enrolled in a career technical education program, and that there is more demand for the programs the state can supply. But the hope is to eventually expand programming and be able to have 50% of students enrolled across the state.
At the end of the meeting, Fonteles, Monárrez and some other officials signed a memorandum of understanding, establishing a formal collaboration between Worcester Tech and the Strategic Economic Investment Agency of Piauí.
The memorandum said the parties would work on things like organizing seminars and research projects, exchanging materials and information, and find ways to help one another.
The group also received a tour of the school following the meeting, with Worcester Tech students acting as guides.
One of those students was Antonio Sousa Carvalho, 17, a junior studying plumbing who is from Piauí.
Carvalho said it was “interesting” and “exciting” to have Fonteles and the other officials visiting.
“Who’d have thought I would go to a school that Brazil looks up to,” Carvalho said. “It’s pretty interesting.”
He said he thinks it would be important for programs like those at Worcester Tech to be offered at schools in his former home state so they can also learn different trades.
Carvalho’s mother, Clarissa, was also present as she helped establish the meeting between the Piauí officials and Worcester and state officials.
She said that, because of her connections to educational locally in Worcester, as well as her ties back in Brazil, including her brother who is a congressman, she was approached about helping establish contact.
She said she was looking forward to connecting that establishment because she wants to help establish career technical education at schools in Piauí.
Fonteles said the goal was to bring the school community and market closer together and establish career technical programs in every high school in his state, approximately 500.
"We’re very satisfied with everything we’ve seen," he said. "With Massachusetts, but especially with Worcester and the school."
He was happy to have signed the memorandum and begin fostering a relationship with Worcester Tech.
Monárrez said it was an honor to have the school be recognized, not just locally or nationally but by another country, for its programs.
"We’re an exemplary model," she said. "How could you not be honored?"
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
DavidFerreira