However, all that could change under an initiative being touted by Mayor Alan Casavant and School Superintendent Jeremy Ray that calls on city leaders to make investments at the center to ensure area students have access to the tools and training needed to be successful in the new economy. That call to action was part of Casavant's inaugural address several weeks ago, and has the support of Peg Levasseur, director of the center of technology,Learn about the Robotic arm , its technology and how robotic arms serve heavy industry. which serves high school students from Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Kennebunk.
Levasseur is unsure how much the renovations she has in mind would cost, but estimated it would be at least $1 million or $2 million. She said an architectural plan is being developed and priced out for converting four classrooms at the center into a culinary program, which would require new kitchen equipment and ventilation. "I would like to see the entire building upgraded," Levasseur said. "The classrooms (in the tech wing) are quite small, each with an exterior door and a window wall, which is neither good for student safety nor energy conservation."Built in 1969 with a two-story classroom wing and several interconnected shop areas, the center of technology has not seen many upgrades in the past 44 years, except for some new doors and windows and a new boiler that was installed as part of the recent $34 million high school renovation project. Levasseur said that although she'd like to see some changes made to center of technology as a facility, it's more important to see investment in new equipment and new programs.
For instance, she would like to see the center have updated equipment for all the shop areas, but specifically in the auto body and machine tool programs. In addition, the engineering and drafting program could benefit from new computers and the medical careers program could use an updated, separate lab area that would give students the chance to better practice a variety of lab procedures. "We'd like to see more technical trade programs, which would require more shop space, that would allow students to enter the workforce with a marketable skill or to continue with further training," she said. "(For example) something like plumbing or HVAC could tie into (the new) green energy (market)."
Although the center of technology offers programming to students from three area communities, including Biddeford,Single row deep groove ball bearing are the most commonly used bearings in electric motors. Levasseur said the cost to operate the center falls on the city of Biddeford and the state. She said the city pays for the center through its annual school department budget and it also receives a lot of its funding from the Maine Department of Education.Levasseur said the last time any of the equipment in the tech hubs was updated was more than a decade ago, when a statewide bond was passed, which allowed her to purchase some new machines for the auto body and machine tool programs.
She said the building was also never property ventilated, which means the students in the welding program, for instance, must open the windows,There are so many shapes, sizes and colors you can get with polished tiles that they are really a good way to decorate. even in the middle of winter, in order to complete any welding or fabrication projects. Casavant told the Sun Chronicle that under his vision for the center of technology, it's "important that (the center) provides the skills that are demanded by today's work environment, which is becoming more technology driven. One good example (of this) is re-instituting a culinary arts program as so much of Maine's economy is tourist driven. Another would be (the introduction of) aviation mechanics involving precision skills."