COVID -19 Update on 2020-2021
School Classes and Trainings
COVID-19 certainly has forced us to think differently about the new “normal” going forward. With all the uncertainties and many of our school locations staying closed for the first part of the year,
we have made the decision to start the new school year with virtual class instruction.
While we realize this is not the ideal situation and we would all prefer to be back to our in-person classes, we are confident that this is the right decision to keep our instructors and students safe. We will continue to evaluate the situation with the expectation of starting in-person classes in January.
Having this plan in place will allow us time to better communicate as well as prepare our instructors with the training and resources they need to become better virtual instructors. We know that we need to stay ahead of the curve and continue to look at how we can improve our curriculum and delivery methods for virtual teaching. Below are of some of the initiatives we are working on to make this new way of teaching a better experience for both our instructors and our students. We encourage companies to support their apprentices as we navigate through this new way of apprenticeship training and think about how you can be of help to your apprentices.
How is the GCI team preparing for the 2020-2021 school year?
- Programs will be increased from 150 hours to 159 hours, except Springfield and Westfield which will remain at 168 hours.
- Monday/Wednesday classes will start on August 31st and Tuesday/Thursday classes will start on September 1st.
- Classes will remain as two 3-hour classes per week during the evening.
- Instructors will be trained over the summer on how to teach virtual classes so that they are better prepared to make the classes more engaging and interactive.
- Hands-on shop hours will be scheduled into the school year, most likely during the second part of the school year. More information is forthcoming.
- Student orientations will be scheduled in advance of start of school to be sure students are able to log in to classes and understand what will be expected of them.
- A date and location for students to pick up their course books will be scheduled at a location close to the school they would normally attend for in person classes.
- Online registration for 2020-2021 courses will open the week of July 13th.
How can companies help their apprentices prepare for the 2020-2021 school year?
- Be supportive and provide your apprentices with the resources they may need to take part in the virtual online classes. Some students may need laptops or tablets with a web cam and microphone.
- Provide a space at your shop or office that they can use with WIFI if they are not able to access from home.
- Share ongoing updates and information from GCI with your apprentices to be sure they are receiving important communications regarding their education.
- Remind your apprentices to make sure they update their contact information (email addresses and phone numbers) if they change during the year
- Do you have shop space that GCI students can use to fulfill shop hours this year? Please reach out to Julie Kelliher, julie@gwgci.org, if so!
Thank you and we look forward to another successful school year!
July Correspondence Testing Registration
July Correspondence registration is now available. Please see available session dates below.
Deadline to register for all sessions is July 13, 2020 at 3:00PM
July 14, 2020 - Session 1 - 5:00PM
July 15, 2020 - Session 2 - 1:00PM
July 15, 2020 - Session 3 - 5:00PM
License Prep, Career Development Trainings
- In place of class room trainings, the GCI team is working on developing virtual trainings for license preparation, Hot Work, and other safety classes.
July Training Class Registrations Available Now
Saturday, July 11 - 8AM-12PM
Tuesday July 21 & 28 - 5PM-8PM
*** LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER ***
- Online career development training classes are still available through our partnerships with:
- Penn Foster: Resources can be found HERE.
- Wentworth Institute of Technology: Resources can be found HERE
- ABC is offering construction industry related webinars weekly. More information can be found HERE
- If there is a particular training that you are interested in providing your employees, please contact Diane Craven, Education Director. We will work with our partners to see if we can provide online training program options to help keep your employees engaged and learning while social distancing.
GCI Events Update
- The deadline to submit ABC STEP Applications has now been extended through September 2020. SUBMIT HERE
Want to earn $300?
Read below to find out how an referring an instructor
can get $300 in your pocket!
GCI is looking for more instructors to add to our team for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year! Do you or someone you know have a Journeyman or
Master License in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?
Contact the GCI Office to find out more about this opportunity to make some
extra cash while giving back to your trade!
Teaching experience is a plus, but not required.
We are looking for instructors to teach the following courses:
·
Electrical
·
HVAC Contractor
Pipefitting
Sprinkler-Fitting
Sheet Metal
We are also looking for Substitute Instructors
for the following positions:
Andover at Greater Lawrence Technical School
Pipefitting, Electrical and Sheet Metal
Canton at Massasoit Community College
Pipefitting, Electrical and Sprinkler-fitting
Franklin at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical HS
Electrical - Springfield Technical Community College
Contact Mike Maloney, Instructor Liaison Director for more info:
mike@gwgci.org
Workforce Training Survey
We’d like to hear from you! We are asking you to please take a moment to give us your feedback five question survey. Your responses from this brief survey will help GCI and ABC-MA to offer relevant programs and training classes as we move forward to provide the best quality content for your interests and needs. We appreciate your participation and look forward to serving your needs further!
