Washington Business Spring 2016 | Page 43

business backgrounder | education & workforce Innovation and Imagination – Two Words Redefining Education As the demand for a high-tech workforce grows, innovative Spokane Valley Tech high school takes learning beyond the book to propel students into real-world jobs, college and the trades. Bobbi Cussins Tackling one of the biggest issues for employers — narrowing the growing skills gap in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, graduates — Spokane Valley Tech high school takes a hands-on approach to learning that is both rigorous and engaging. The goal is to entice students into jobs and degrees that fit the needs of today’s high-tech and manufacturing employers. A refashioned Rite Aid store in Spokane Valley is helping to close Washington’s growing skills gap, one student at a time. Spokane Valley Tech (SVT), which opened in 2014, is an innovative, hands-on public high school with a focus of graduating students who are career and college ready in high-demand science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Funding for the school comes from a combination of state and private sources. The Legislature approved $1.5 million for the school, and it also relies on grants from companies like aerospace giant The Boeing Company and others. Unlike a traditional public high school, SVT embraces an open classroom concept that, together with the group workspace design, is meant to encourage student collaboration, inventive thinking and problem solving. These are the “necessary building blocks” when problems are edlinesites.net/pages/spokane_valley_tech complex and require multiple skill sets to solve, said Mark Bitz, at a glance Part of the Spokane Valley public school system, Spokane Valley Tech high school opened in 2014 to give students an alternative learning environment. Spokane Valley Tech focuses on graduating students who are career and college ready in high-demand science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Areas of study include aerospace and advanced manufacturing, sports medicine, biomedical sciences, engineering, as well as computer science and app development. Spokane-based Avista Utilities is offering a grant to the school to start an energy class as part of growing the future workforce. Businesses can help by offering students at Spokane Valley Tech internships in their fields of expertise. They can reach the school at 509.228.5600. spring 2016 43