Area Veterinary Professionals Help Celebrate Monty Tech’s New Vet Clinic

FITCHBURG----Veterinary professionals and school partners were on hand recently to tour the new Veterinary Clinic recently opened on Monty Tech’s campus, and see firsthand how the operation is training the field’s next generation of highly skilled caregivers.

Built by the school’s construction trades, and funded through donations, the center serves as the clinical site for the school’s newest and 21st career program, Veterinary Science.

The open house provided an opportunity for area professionals and vendors to tour the new facility, meet the staff, and observe students demonstrating some of the new, state-of-the art equipment. They were also able to speak to students about some of the unique career opportunities currently available in the veterinary field.

Superintendent-Director Dr. Sheila M. Harrity welcomed the visitors and gave a brief overview of the genesis of the program and the facility. She thanked the visitors for their assistance and expertise in establishing the program and designing the center.

She noted the invaluable assistance and support from representatives from VCA. Formerly known as Veterinary Centers of the America, the organization is a leader in the field and nationally recognized for its standardization of high-quality pet care. It operates nearly 800 animal hospitals and 60 diagnostic labs in the U.S. and Canada. “Having VCA as our primary partner in this endeavor ensures our program, and the skills our students are learning, is second to none and will keep pace with industry standards,” she said. “VCA is a national leader in the field, and their assistance and expertise are invaluable to the success of our program.”

Local veterinarian, and program supporter Dr. Trish Dettlinger reaffirmed VCA’s remarkable commitment to the program, “This program is not just a great opportunity for the students, but for the local veterinary industry as well. The VCA partnership makes this program unique and having a VCA veterinarian serving as the clinic’s Medical Director will ensure that the students’ training program aligns to VCA workforce needs.”

Dr. Kayla Sample, clinic medical director, said that since the center opened last month, the students have been able to work directly with clients and take an active role is all aspects of the operation, from hands-on technical skills to customer service.

“Their knowledge base and skills have grown quite a bit in the short time we have been open to the public. We are seeing more and more interesting cases, and the students are actively involved in everything we are doing,” she said. Morgan Sylvester of Holden, a junior in the program, spoke about the program and what the students are learning. “We started our first two years in a classroom, learning about animals, the body systems and related diseases. This year we moved to the clinic, where we are taking the knowledge we learned from books and applying it to our daily clinic tasks, performing lab procedures and working directly with animals. I would never have been able to do this if I hadn’t come to Monty Tech and enrolled in this program. The lessons I have learned working in this clinic will stick with me as I continue on my career path to become a veterinarian,” she said.

After two years focusing mainly on classroom instruction in the fundamentals of the field, the juniors are now spending their trade weeks working alongside veterinarians and technicians, learning more advanced aspects of veterinary care, such as lab procedures, grooming and examinations.

At present, the clinic is open every other week and provides primary care for families with limited financial resources. To be eligible for services, clients must present a valid EBT card and a matching ID, and live in one of the 18 cities and towns comprising the Monty Tech School District.

The following cities and towns are included in the Monty Tech school district: Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Barre, Fitchburg, Gardner, Harvard, Holden, Hubbardston, Lunenburg, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Royalston, Sterling, Templeton, Westminster, Winchendon.

Monty Tech New A.R.M. Lab Provides High-Tech Training for Students

by Beth Martellotta
FITCHBURG---As part of the state’s STEM week observance, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito was at Monty Tech recently to help the school open its new, state-of-the-art A.R.M. (Automation, Robotics and Mechatronics) lab and an advanced rapid fabrication lab.

The new facility was funded through a $500,000 grant, the largest in the school’s history, awarded recently by the Baker-Polito administration through its Massachusetts Skills Capital Grant initiative.

To date, Monty Tech has received four such grants, amounting to $1.5 million.

The new training center, which will be utilized by students in the electrical, engineering technology and CAD/computer and design programs, will provide students with the advanced skills needed to more into high-tech jobs in advanced manufacturing and automation.

Lt. Gov. Polito spoke to the audience about the state’s national leadership in the area of STEM and high-tech jobs. “We need a pipeline of talent who have the high-tech, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to fill the jobs that our thriving state economy is creating. You need these skills to replicate what is going on in industry right now,” she said.

Superintendent-Director Dr. Sheila M. Harrity said the lab was created in response to regional workforce needs, student interest, and the critical shortage of high-quality electronic system control and fabrication training programs in the area.

“These new training spaces are intended to replicate working and learning environments maintained by industry leaders in advanced manufacturing and automation, so that our students are better able to transition from school to work,” Dr. Harrity said.

“Not only are our high-school students benefitting from this brand-new equipment and technology. Monty Tech is also home to 1700 adults in training and retraining classes in our Continuing Education program. Many of this equipment is being utilized in their training programs as well,” she added.

“Since 2016, Monty Tech has applied for and received four Massachusetts Skills Capital Grants, totaling nearly $1.5 million. These grants have allowed us to improve instruction and training opportunities in seven of our 21 career programs. These grants are making a significant impact on North Central Massachusetts workforce,” Dr. Harrity said.

Paul Cormier, electrical teacher, said that the electrical field has changes dramatically over the years, and students need the skills to keep pace with the changes. “Our electrical trade is fast changing into a new career path that is not just traditional “light, heat and power” wiring. It’s far more involved and increasing complex. Today, it is entirely appropriate that this type of training and education occur at the high-school level, and I believe this A.R.M. lab is a great step forward for our students and instructors,” he said.

Last year, the space housing the new lab was renovated by students and teachers in the electrical program, with assisted from the plumbing department. A majority of the new equipment and curriculum was provided through the state grant.

According to Dean Lepkowski, electrical teacher, the new lab and equipment will bridge the gap between what is going on in our trade programs and industry today. “The new automation that we received will bridge the gap between the old industrial controls and the modern, high-tech controls technology.”

“This (the lab) will provide our students with the missing piece…..the training that will allow them to move into jobs as technicians, where they can go into industry and troubleshoot and write code for high-tech control systems,” said Mr. Lepkowski.

Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees were able to tour the new lab and talk to students and see them demonstrate the new equipment.

Katy Whitaker is Monty Tech’s grant writer.