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WyoTech Addresses the Need for Teachers in Technical Education
- The innovative automotive, diesel, and collision trade school’s teachers describe the reasons and rewards of entering the education field and working with students.
Laramie, Wyoming, December 27th, 2023
WyoTech, one of the leading automotive trade schools, is recognized for addressing the country’s need for skilled technicians. Now, WyoTech’s experienced faculty is encouraging people with technical training and experience to consider a career in teaching in light of a looming shortage for technical education teachers.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 14,800 openings for technical education teachers annually for the next decade, primarily to replace retiring teachers or those leaving the profession. The Bureau also projects a need for 28,000 diesel technicians and mechanics annually over the decade.
“The demand in the trade industry is growing, as is the number of technicians who are reaching retirement age”, said Kyle Morris, president of WyoTech. “And there is a dire need for the current generation of technicians and teachers to pass their knowledge and passion to the next generation so we can keep the trades—and therefore the country—up and running.”
While many in the trade industry are aware of the support that WyoTech gives to the trade industry in providing hands on experience to the next generation of technicians, the need for mentors and teachers in the industry is rarely spoken of. Across the board at both schools and companies, there is a need for experienced hands who are willing to pass their passion on to the next generation of technicians. WyoTech’s instructors speak to this need and encourage other technicians to consider a field in teaching.
“There’s a huge need for teachers across the board. I can see it in our programs, and I can see it in other programs across the country,” said Tyler Mead, Diesel Instructor at WyoTech.
“There’s lots of reasons to teach, and I often feel like I get way more enjoyment out of teaching than I do when I’m actually working on equipment. I get more reward out of it than I ever did ‘mechanicing.’ To see the progression and development of the students is out of this world.”
Veteran #WyoTech teachers said they’ve seen students’ development pay long term dividends of successful careers that also provide a good #quality of #life.
“Working with one’s hands to build or repair is rewarding for many that do it, and that usually translates to personal happiness and contentment”, said Charles “Mac” McDonald, Trim and Upholstery Instructor at WyoTech.
“I would suggest to anyone considering a teaching role to think about the impact they can have on someone’s life. It’s a good feeling to have a student reach out to you years later to thank you for impacting their life in a positive way.”
WyoTech teachers say the most important part of teaching is being able to leverage their skills to have that kind of impact on hundreds or thousands of lives.
“In the fighting world, a force multiplier is a tool that gives you an unfair advantage. I am that tool to my students, a force multiplier”, said Robert Stage, Automotive Instructor at WyoTech. “That is what I’d say to a technician who was contemplating coming to WyoTech to teach: Come here and make the most impact that you ever could in our industry and the careers of our young people. Be that force multiplier in someone else’s life.”
To learn more about WyoTech’s leading programs for automotive and diesel trades and become part of the team teaching the next generations of technicians, visit here
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About WyoTech
WyoTech, formerly known as #Wyoming #Technical #Institute, is a for profit technical college founded in Laramie, Wyoming, in 1966. WyoTech provides training programs that prepare students for careers as technicians in the automotive, collision and refinishing, and diesel industry with nine month training programs that focus on hands on experience and has recently established a top tier, six month welding and fabrication program.
