Adult students in Minuteman Technical Institute's Carpentry Pre-Apprentice evening program recently celebrated their completion of the 15-week course.

Pictured in the front row (L-R) are instructors Garrett Rice and Tom Akers of the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund; 

Middle row: students Lina Lopez of Revere, Nicole Crane of Saugus, Alexa Cipkas of Norfolk, Nathan Oun of Dracut, and Kateri Gerald-Burns of Boston;

Back row: Dennis Lassige, regional manager for North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters; Stephen Foley of Norwood; Seikha Kim of Lowell; Chris Clifford, career counselor for MassHire South/West; Kevin Kelly, regional manager for Local Union 339; and Eric Martinez, recruitment officer for North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund.

LEXINGTON – Thursday, January 12, 2023 – Sixteen adults of a variety of ages and backgrounds were recently celebrated for completing programs in carpentry, welding, and robotics at Minuteman Technical Institute. The 15-week programs were tuition-free for most students thanks to Career Technical Initiative grant funding from the Massachusetts Workforce Skills Cabinet and the Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium.

The Minuteman Regional Technical School District has received more than $3 million since 2020 in grants from the Workforce Skills Cabinet, which support high school and adult career technical education programming. The funds are used to help students, including those from under-represented backgrounds, work in career trades where there is a high demand for skilled workers.

The adult students and their families attended a “Signing Day” ceremony to celebrate their completion of the fall 2022 evening programs in carpentry (pre-apprentice), welding, and robotic technician. Many students brought their families as they signed ceremonial letters of commitment to build careers in their fields of study.

“Our incredible adult students are seeking rewarding careers in high-demand trades to build their futures for decades to come,” said Dr. Kathleen A. Dawson, Superintendent of the Minuteman Regional Technical School District. “From single moms pursuing carpentry to military veterans learning high-tech robotic skills, we welcome students from all backgrounds to help them reach their dreams. In the process, we are educating highly skilled professionals for our regional economy in trades where there are critical shortages of skilled workers.”

“Our adult students are truly committed and dedicated.” said Dr. Nancy Houle, Executive Director of Minuteman Technical Institute. “They often work full time jobs and take their courses in the evening. We congratulate and celebrate these students for their accomplishments and for contributing to the growth of our regional economy.”

Carpentry (Pre-Apprentice) Program

The following students completed the Carpentry Pre-Apprentice program, which was hosted in collaboration with the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund. They each earned the following industry-recognized credentials: OSHA-10 Safety, Hot Work, Fall Protection, Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP), Scaffold Use Certification.

• Alexa Cipkas of Norfolk
• Nicole Crane of Saugus 
• Stephen Foley of Norwood
• Kateri Gerald-Burns of Boston (Learn more about Kateri in this video.)
• Seikha Kim of Lowell
• Lina Lopez of Revere
• Nathan Oun of Dracut

Robotic Technician Program

The following students completed the Robotic Technician program. They each earned the following industry-recognized credentials: OSHA-10 Safety and Hot Work.

• Raul Gonzalez of Lowell (Learn more about Raul in this video.)
• Benjamin Judge of Malden
• John Ko of Chelmsford
• Michael Keating of Burlington
• David Pardey of Millis

Welding Program

The following students completed the Welding program. They each earned the following industry-recognized credentials: American Welding Society (AWS) D1.1-Sheilded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)-S.S, AWS-D1.1-Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)-5.18, AWS D1.1-SMAW-Structural, Hot Work, and OSHA-30 Construction Safety.

• Paul Damon of Chelmsford
• Jacob Malkasian of Northbridge
• Jacob Stuczynski of Northbridge
• Luke Nichols of Woburn

Registration is now open for the next round of 15-week adult programs at Minuteman Technical Institute that will be supported through funding by the Workforce Skills Cabinet, which begin over the next few weeks. The courses are: Carpentry (Pre-Apprentice), Computer Numeric Control (CNC) Machine Operator, Facilities Management, Plumbing (Tier 1), and Welding.

In addition, registration is also open for 10-month, tuition-based programs that begin in August 2023. The courses are: Automotive Technology, Cosmetology, and Electricity.

Pictured here are adult students from the Welding and Robotic Technician programs. From left: Michael McDevitt and Alijah Woods (still completing program); Luke Nichols (welding) of Woburn, Jacob Malkasian (welding) of Northbridge; welding instructor Bob Malkasian (no relation to Jacob); Jacob Stuczynski (welding) of Northbridge; Paul Damon (welding) of Chelmsford; Michael Keating (robotics) of Burlington; David Pardey (robotics) of Millis; and John Ko (robotics) of Chelmsford.