LYNN — Lynn Vocational Technical Institute seniors choosing to pursue their trades after graduation took part in a SkillsUSA signing day on Thursday afternoon.
At the ceremony, the soon-to-be graduates signed as highly-skilled workers. School officials and alumni joined them to celebrate the occasion.
“Four years ago, you made a decision,” said Lynn Tech Principal Fred Gallo. “Now you are reaping the benefits of your decision.”
Gallo said the school’s main purpose was to send its students into their trades. But the trades weren’t all they learned in their classes. Other important life skills the students learned at school included looking people in the eyes when greeting them, respect, and dressing appropriately for occasions. The only thing that the graduates of Lynn Tech have not received as part of their school curriculum is college debt, he said.
The keynote speaker, Ward 2 Councilor Rick Starbard, a Lynn Tech graduate, assured the students that he and his classmates were able to make good careers and a good living with the foundation of skills they had acquired at the vocational school, “without putting ourselves in educational debt.”
He advised students to not be distracted by negative influences in their lives, but to instead show up on time every day.
“And you will set yourself apart from those around you, and you will succeed,” said Starbard.
He also suggested that students imitate sponges, explaining that they should “suck in all knowledge” around them, network with other people in their trade, and try to stay on top.
“It’s not just a job, it’s your life,” said Starbard. “Just because you are not going to college in September, it does not mean you’re done learning.”
According to Anjelis Amaro, 18, state officer at SkillsUSA, who was hosting the signing ceremony, Starbard became the epitome of a successful graduate of Lynn Tech. Amaro, although proud of her classmates getting full-time jobs, is planning to go to Salem State University for nursing.
However, Esteban Escobar, 18, who specializes in plumbing and also participated in the signing ceremony, said he knew college wasn’t for him; his ambition was to start his business. For him, the signing ceremony became an opportunity to celebrate with family.
“I thought it was definitely a big deal,” he said.
Another student, who signed on Thursday, Bryan Darosa, 18, said he wanted to pursue his trade instead of going to college and ending up in debt.
“I have a passion for cars,” he said.
Some chose a life path that might seem more intricate. Nataly Solis, 18, who specializes in cosmetology, is licensed, and is already working in her field at Mane & Mani beauty studio in Peabody, where she does hair, make-up, and nails. She plans to study medical biology in college.
“The reason I am going into my chosen trade is because I enjoy beauty a lot, and I enjoy doing hair, and, mainly, make-up, but I will also be studying biomedical science, because I want to become a medical esthetician or a cosmetic nurse,” she said.
According to Tech English teacher and SkillsUSA Advisor Jason McCuish, a lot of the students already have jobs in their trades that they got as job placements within the framework of the school cooperative education.
“Co-op is when they get job placement while they are in high school, so one week they are working their job, and then one week they are here in class,” said McCuish.
The event took place as part of the SkillsUSA national signing day to recognize the graduates entering the workforce.
“Lots of times we see that they do this for kids who are going to college or going into sports, and we really wanted to highlight our students who are declaring that they are going to be our future workers as plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc.,” said McCuish.