Manufacturing/Engineering Technology
"Technology- The application of science especially to industrial or commercial objectives"

The Manufacturing/Engineering Technology Program was introduced at Steubenville High School in the fall of 1997. The school wanted to start two new labs both dealing with careers and career opportunities. The first lab was designated as the primary lab; this would be the lab where majority of the allotted money would be spent. I was given the remainder of the money which was substantially less. I would have to create a new manufacturing lab with $18,000.00. At first I thought I would open a computer-aided drafting lab, but our assistant superintendent showed me a pamphlet that he had stored in the back of his file cabinet. It was a Power Technology product brochure and looking over the information I knew that this was the way to go. Here was a no nonsense lab that didn¹t have all the bells and whistles, the trainers just got the job done. The school purchased 8 trainers with PC computers well under my budget. Six years later, I am still running the lab and the modules are working as well today as when they were purchased. Since its initial inception, a successful concept has become part of an extensive curriculum offered at SHS. By the way, the other lab is no longer at the school, it has been replaced.

The Manufacturing/Engineering Technology Program is a part of the Tech Prep Consortium. It allows for a 2+2 cooperative agreement between Steubenville High School and local community colleges giving the student experience in the many facets of the manufacturing world and for students to apply science to industry and commercial trades.

The self-paced class which meets daily for 90 minutes is divided into two areas. The first deals with the introduction as well as advanced experiments dealing with the manufacturing/engineering trades (pneumatics, hydraulics, mechanisms, electricity/electronics, laser, robotics, fiber optics, digital electronics [all Power Technology Trainers], CNC, Graphic Communications and computer-aided drafting). Here students perform experiments using computer-driven trainers. The second area deals with computer repair where students have hands on training troubleshooting computers. Because of the modular concept, students working in teams of two have a set time to complete each trainer without disruption. Also, because each topic or experiment is a stand alone activity, the instructor can pick and choose what portions of their program is most advantageous to the student. Students take a pre-test and a post-test to help show their progress.

The course has encouraged junior and senior students to incorporate their regular high school classes with technology, helping them to not only learn new ideas, but to also help make decisions about their future education. If anyone would like to visit Steubenville High School to see the Tech Prep Manufacturing Lab, the school is located in the southeast area of Ohio approximately 40 miles west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 132 miles southeast of Cleveland, Ohio and 143 miles east of Columbus, Ohio. Or if you would like to contact the school the phone number is 740 282-9741.