Mountain View Trade School

The Plan

South‑central Missouri will soon be home to a great solution for the hands‑on oriented student. Mountain View Trade School will not only deliver hands-on training—students will be able to test their hands-­on training in a protected real-world work environment making real-world decisions with real-­world consequences and rewards.

The Effect

As a nexus for employer‑connected career training, Mountain View Trade School will provide the South-­Central Missouri civic and business community with a workforce that is not merely trained with labor skills, but thoroughly prepared to enter the workplace as responsible community members. Students will know the value of being financially responsible with their earnings, ethically conducting relationships with coworkers, supervisors and customers, and living a healthy home life that prepares them to achieve their personal best during their time on the job.

The availability of an increasingly prepared and dependable workforce in South‑Central Missouri communities will encourage businesses to expand into the area, making business growth a complementary function of MVTS job training efforts, ultimately combating poverty and unemployment.

The Programs

Currently the MVTS Founding Board has planned the following components for a comprehensive vocational (or career and technical education—"CTE") center in Mountain View:

Trades Certification Courses. Mountain View Trade School (MVTS) will offer courses teaching skills and knowledge required to earn trade certifications, such as but not limited to:

• Construction (HVAC, Carpentry, Plumbing, Electrical, Sheet Metal)
• Industrial Welding
• Automotive (Light Repair, Small Engines, Alternative Fuels)
• Agricultural Technology
• Early Childhood Education
• Nutrition / Dietetics
• Culinary Arts

Business Courses. As part of a program completion certificate, MVTS will require courses teaching skills and knowledge required to be a sole proprietor or run a small business, such as but not limited to:

• Business Financial Management
• Business Planning and Writing
• Fundamentals of Labor Law
• Workplace Ethics

G.E.D. and Gen-Ed Courses. MVTS will offer optional courses teaching skills and knowledge required to earn a General Education Diploma (GED) or transfer-credit to associate’s degree-granting institutions until such a time when MVTS is accredited to offer associate’s degrees. General education courses will include but will not be limited to:

• Practical Math / College Algebra
• Introductory Economics
• Civics / Political Science
• Persuasive Writing
• Science (based on trade focus)

Community Service. MVTS will require a minimum amount of hours of pre-arranged community service appropriate to each student’s trade focus. Community service opportunities will include but will not be limited to:

• Habitat for Humanity
• Community food kitchens
• Community gardens
• Senior centers / nursing homes

Apprenticeship Agreements. MVTS will require a minimum amount of hours of apprenticeship appropriate to each student’s trade focus. MVTS will negotiate apprenticeship agreements with local business owners and corporate hiring managers. Notice of apprenticeship availability will then be distributed to students. Students will be provided assistance in preparation of resumes and interview skills. Students will not be allowed to work more than 40 apprentice hours per week. Career counselors will monitor student performance and satisfaction throughout the apprenticeship. In this way, students will be guided through the process of a job-search and will be encouraged to experience job assignment longevity, with special care that federal labor laws are upheld.

The Effort

Much still has to be done before MVTS can open its doors to serve what South Central Career Center's Jim Laughary has called "an ocean of need." If you would like to help in any way, email us and let us know about it. Thank you for your interest in making this great local education option a reality for the South-Central Ozark region.