VOCATIONAL SCHOOL HERE KEEPS ROLLING WITH TIMES

American Vocational Education Week is being observed locally. What area could better recognize the benefits that come from this brand of skills training? Cape Girardeau and the region are fortunate to have the Area Vocational-Technical School at their educational behest. Its contributions to area school systems, businesses and the work force are immeasurable.

Traditional education is grounded in a static set of principles, the Three Rs. While techniques in teaching these fundamental might be enhanced over time, reading, writing and arithmetic remain steadfast. In contrast, vocational education is in a constant state of change, having to roll with the punches of advancing technology, shifting student interests and a volatile job market. The image of vocational education as a glorified shop class has long gone out the window; the facility on Clark Street is state-of-the-art all the way, training students to enter employment fields from computer operation to complex electronics.

The duties and constituencies of the vocational school are numerous. As its base, the facility serves the educational ambitions of about 400 students from eight area high schools, complementing traditional classroom schooling with skills training that accommodates their career desires. Beyond that, there is an adult education component, catering to persons returning to a school setting to upgrade their job skills or enrich their knowledge in some other way.

Add to this the fact that the vocational school works with area businesses and indust~ries to help tailor training programs for specific job functions; Procter and Gamble, Dana Corp. and Lee-Rowan are just three of the local manufacturers that have turned to the school for training assistance.

Administrators of the vocational school never seem to sit still. Only recently a pilot program - Tech Prep - has been launched to integrate academics and vocational education with post-secondary training, with the hope of giving Southeast Missouri students a greater edge in the job market. Again, the emphasis is on change and meeting the needs of students and their employment future.

Much of credit for the school's success should go to Gary Gilbert and the staff he has put together. Gilbert has been the only director the facility has had in its 27 years of operation, and there would be no more fitting tribute to his foresight and labor than to name the school in his honor upon his retirement this year.

Persons concerned about the current state of education should enjoy a success story. They can find one at the Area Vocational-Technical School.