NEW PALESTINE — Engineering and technology education teacher Dave Post is already excited about next school year. Not only will he have a whole new workshop area to teach students hands-on skills in, he’ll also have plenty of new training equipment for the students to work on.
Thanks to Post, Southern Hancock secured an Indiana Office of Career and Technical Education Readiness Grant for Advanced Manufacturing in the amount of $100,000 to be used for new training equipment for the 2023-24 school year.
“As we’re teaching these hands-on courses, we’ve got to stay in tune with what the state is doing and needing,” Post said. “There is a lot of good work being done promoting manufacturing as it’s the number one per capita employer in the state of Indiana and there needs to be people to fill those jobs.”
Post, who was recently named the Robotics Mentor of the Year following the state championships in Indianapolis, said there is nothing like helping students develop skills that can lead to a hands-on electronic or manufacturing career.
“Manufacturing skills are needed for our state economy and there are just so many great opportunities for students in the field and now we can teach them some of those skills,” Post said.
The $100,000 grant will be used to buy manufacturing training system equipment that students will be able to learn on right there at NPHS.
“The training will help expose New Palestine students to engineering and robotics and they’ll have the newest training equipment to learn on,” Post said. “The timing is perfect for us because we are building a new technology center for our construction, manufacturing and engineering programs.”
The new workshop area is located inside NPHS and is part of the district’s renovation project currently being done.
“Our new classroom space is going to be done at any time now, and we’ve already had a lot of new equipment arrive for production and welding and all kinds of different things,” Post said. “We expect the new lab space to be open at the beginning of the new school year and we can’t wait.”
The new group of equipment being purchased with the grant will be real training systems for electronics, hydraulics and pneumatics, as well as robotics.
“These will be training systems where the kids get hands-on training using these different pieces of machinery,” Post said.
The students will also be able to pick up dual and college credit for some of the higher-end classes. Just as important, students will be able to leave NPHS with certifications and real work-based skills for those looking to jump right into the workforce.
“There are so many opportunities in manufacturing, and it’s such a broad scope for people to have different interests in as it produces a very diverse workforce,” Post said.
Post noted he worked in manufacturing for 30 years before becoming an educator and knows the business inside and out. He believes nearly everyone could find some kind of home and happiness working in the industry.
“There are so many areas where kids can like it and enjoy it and become really good at,” Post said. “I like the fact these opportunities will expose the kids to all kinds of potential to see what’s out there and what is needed, plus they’ll get the hands-on to see if this could be a possible career.”
NPHS was one of nine high schools awarded the Education Readiness Grant through the Indiana Office of Career and Technology Education. Launched through a partnership with Conexus Indiana, the grant is in its second year. This year’s grant incorporated expert input from TechPoint to Broaden assistance to information technology CTE programs with industry employer needs front-of-mind.
District officials noted how great it’s been to have an educator like Post who was willing to take the time to explore the grant possibilities while understanding the needs of the state in the manufacturing industry as well as the needs of the students to explore possibilities.
“Dave Post is a great educator who has worked very hard to increase student interest in the Industry Technology program at New Palestine High School,” said Director of Instruction and Technology Miles Hercamp. “This grant shows how Dave is supportive of our students and is always striving to improve our programming.”
That thought was seconded by superintendent Lisa Lantrip, who noted Post really is one of those outstanding educators making a difference.
“He works tirelessly for our students and provides them with an outstanding program,” she said. “This grant exemplifies how he supports our students and develops our programming.”
The grant and programming fall in line with state mandates to help make sure students are college or career ready when they graduate high school.
