MTI Keeps Curriculum Relevant with the Help of a Program Advisory Committee
At MTI, it’s important that we prepare our students with the skills required for entry-level employment in their chosen trade professions. With the help of the Program Advisory Committee (PAC), MTI keeps our curriculum relevant and up to date to ensure we are doing everything we can to help students be prepared as future employees within skilled trades in demand.
There are multiple PACs to represent MTI’s programs, including medical assisting, dental assisting, welding, HVAC, cosmetology, and truck driving. Within each PAC, the members represent a wide variety of positions within an industry, such as hospital workers, salon owners, welding professionals, dental assistants, medical coders, HR team members and recruiters.
PAC members visit the classrooms, labs, welding shops, etc. to see where our students are being trained. These professionals provide feedback on our curriculum and facility, in order to ensure we are helping to meet employers’ needs. The Program Advisory Committee shares the most up-to-date practices and techniques they feel students should learn in order to become more employable.
Our PAC members play a vital role in helping to shape our students for success by providing input, expertise, and feedback on our hands-on training programs.
Here’s what a few of our PAC members have to say about their experience:
“I’ve been a member of PAC for about two years now, I have seen many changes in the curriculum—they’re changing externships, they’re changing testing, they’re changing everything so they can better help the student get to where they need to be.” Noah Cisco, Recruiter, Memorial Medical Center
“I think the relationship works both ways. I think it’s a school that has a very good curriculum, passionate instructors, and they do a good job of molding the students.” Rocky Murry, Welding Management Technician, Napheid Manufacturing Co.
“The only way to change things and to get better stylists and to get people more prepared for being a good stylist is to start here. This is your foundation.” Sherry Pennington, Cosmetologist, Blade’s Fifth Avenue Hair Sculpture
“When it’s about their curriculum, or about things we want them to make sure they’re addressing or teaching the students…it’s almost instantaneous I feel. We leave, and I’m like, ‘Okay, they’re going to start doing that.’ It’s pretty great.” Maggie Massey, Human Resource Associate, SIU School of Medicine.
“I think the biggest thing in our industry is education. Being in management, I get to see what the school has available and what they’re offering, because that’s going to play a role in my salon.” Kari Tinsley, Salon Manager, JCP Salon
“I feel like our opinion matters. To come in, and know that your input is needed, wanted and utilized…you can essentially build your own tech, not at your expense.” Tim May, Operations Manager, Comfortech Heating & Air Conditioning