HOMEWOOD – Last week, State Rep. Will Davis (D- Homewood) visited Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s Career Pathways classes with Bill Merchantz, HF’s CNC Manufacturing & Welding Instructor; Courtney Alexander, Department Lead Careers & Technical Education; Carla Erdey, HF’s Director of Communications and Community Engagement.
TMA’s State Capitol Lobbyist, David Curtin, and TMA Education Foundation Director, Justine Ewald, joined the tour, which was originated and implemented by TMA’s Advocacy Team.
The tour was designed to provide Rep. Davis with firsthand information on the importance of the Homewood-Flossmoor High classes, which offer students alternative career options, particularly those paths leading to manufacturing careers.
Nearly half a million manufacturing jobs are currently available in the US – and fewer high schools are encouraging students to consider the critical occupations that tool & die makers, CNC machine operators, welders, and moldmakers provide the world these days.
Lobbyist David Curtin said the school’s career course offerings are impressive. “After visiting Dr. Merchantz’s classes, we toured both huge school buildings, like a college campus, and observed electives such as clothes-making, culinary arts (complete with two industrial kitchens), as well as dance classes, of which the 2800 students of Homewood Flossmoor can take advantage,” Curtin said.
Students are allowed to choose from a variety of career pathways at HF—such as Health Sciences, Finance & Business, Arts & Communications, Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology & Trades, Information Technology, and Human & Public Services—and pair them with IB Diploma Programme (DP) courses.
Dr. Merchantz’ classes also participate in TMA’s annual Precision Machining Competition held every spring.
