Thursday, February 28, 2013

Vocational Plan

So I've been busy doing work that is focused on the future, specifically the future of the vocational school once I leave. One specific thing I'm focusing on is producing a course management document,  something that outlines what the class is all about.

I just finished my first draft of the management for the masonry program. I don't have the curriculum added to it, but I do have the first part of the document that I wrote. Its only a first draft, so I would love your comments on them!

Thanks!


                     Masonry Course Structure Report

This document contains the course curriculum and a course management plan for the masonry program at the La Croix New Testament Mission


                                                 Course Management Plan

Course Overview
Pastor Wisner Marcellus will be in charge of the Masonry program. Altenor Phillip, the superintendent of the La Croix schools will be overseeing the project. There are two main components to the masonry program: (1) the theoretical course work, that will be taught by Pastor Wisner in a classroom setting, and (2) the application of the theoretical course work, that will be taught through an apprenticeship with one of the three contractors currently working for the mission. The in class work will be taught after school, and the apprenticeship will be done during the summer and during the weekends, when the students are not in school.


Calendar:
Beginning of Course: November 2012
Expected completion for current class: September 2014
The students will go to class only during the school year (September to June) and will not go to class during their summer break. They will however come in for their apprenticeships during the summer months.
Weekly class schedule: The class will meet after school for about two hours, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This is when the theoretical instruction will take place.
Total time spent in class: Approximately 1900 hours
The apprenticeship will take place during the student’s time off, mostly during the weekends the summer break.


Apprenticeships:
The apprenticeship portion of the class is meant to give the students better preparation and training. Unlike in the US, apprenticeships are not required for state certification. Though they are not required, we think they will be beneficial for the following reasons:
1.     Masonry is a physically demanding occupation and the students should be able to see if they are physically capable before entering into the workforce
2.     The apprenticeships will give the students a chance to better understand the theoretical material and better prepared them for the state certification exam
3.     The students will be paired with professional contractors who will then be able to hire them after the finish their course work.

The apprenticeships will be under the supervision of three professional masons the mission hires for all of its masonry work.
1.     Jessner Phillip- full time employee of the mission
2.     Delin Jean- private contractor the mission hires for its building projects
3.     Dulet Jean- private contractor the mission hires for other building around the mission. This contractor will also be looking after the carpentry students as well as the masons. The masonry students who also want to incorporate carpentry into their skill set will work with Dulet.

The masonry students have done some preliminary applied on work with Pastor Wisner. They have begun to build a small building in the northwest corner of the main mission. The students will begin working with the professional contractors once they can acquire money to buy supplies for them. Right now they need about $1000 for supplies

Work after Graduation:
Minimum expected wage upon graduation: 500 GDS per day. Depending on the skill of the student though, the wage can increase dramatically. Talented masons can make over 1000 GDS per day.

Hiring expectation: Upon graduation the students will be able to work for the private contractors who oversaw them as apprentices. The students can also work for the mission. Pastor Pierre has a long list of building projects he is working on, and feels that he can help every student get started in their professional career working at the mission. Pastor Pierre said that there is enough building in Pacot alone to employ this current class of masons once they are done. The students can use this experience to get started, they can also use this experience to get in touch with other masons and network through the community. Pastor Pierre feels confident that students who graduate from this program will have many opportunities in La Croix and the surrounding areas (L’estere, Gonaives, Saint Marc) to find viable employment. The mission has a good reputation in the community, and Pastor Pierre and Pastor Wisner will recommend any student who has completed the course work to any of the reputable masons they have hired in the past.

Certification: The Haitian board of education has a certification exam to certify masons. The exam has only a written component and has no practical component. The contractors who hire masons do not take the state exam very seriously. There is no real enforcement of any type of building code, so anyone can work as a mason regardless of certification. The masons who come through our program should all be able to pass the state certification exam. Yet in the event that they do not pass the certification, they will still be able to find ample employment.

The Student Body
Student motivation: Pastor Pierre and Pastor Wisner want as many students to graduate from the masonry program as possible, but they know that the program is not for everyone. Right now they have 10 students, but they originally started with 18. The students are allowed to come for the theoretical part of the class and can drop out if they can’t keep up with the course work. This is kind of like the time period at the beginning of a semester where a student can drop a class without getting penalized. The 10 students in the class now are all exceptional students and extremely motivated. Pastor Pierre was sad to see the eight students drop out, but he feels that the students there now are there for good, and will be good masons when they finish the course.  

Evaluation: The students will be evaluated on two levels; theoretical understanding and practical knowledge. The best students will exhibit both a keen theoretical understanding as well as a strong practical ability. The students will be given written examinations in the classroom, but will also be given practical exams where they have to exhibit their ability as a mason. There will be weekly home work and in class assignment as well

Student Demographics:
The students in the masonry program will be high school students, ages 18-20. They will all be apart of the La Croix system already, and have demonstrated academic proficiency in mathematics and oral and written skills. The students will be encouraged to complete their high school education after they complete their vocational training. This is not a possibility for all students however, so for those students who have a greater need to start providing for themselves and their family, they are able to drop out of high school and begin working full time once they finish the masonry curriculum.

Supplies:
·      1/2 Iron
·      3/8 Iron
·      1/4 Iron
·      Sand
·      Solid Rock
·      Iron Wire
·      Blocks
·      Blaustais
·      Bricks
(For quantities, see attached spreadsheet)

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