Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1170706
2 4 S T U F F • F a l l 2 0 1 9 S T U F F M a d e I n C T . c o m much to me," he said. "I haven't looked back. It's been the most rewarding job of my life." "e money's great too." Aside from preparing students to go right into the workforce, technical schools can also give them a foundation for a college career. Lucy Driscoll graduated this June as salutatorian of Ella T. Grasso Technical High School, where she studied design and engineering technology. Upon graduation, she got a job offer in her field, but she decided to focus instead on continuing her education at the University of Connecticut Avery Point. Driscoll said she initially started in a different program at the technical school but discovered she enjoyed designing machine components and working with electrical diagrams. "You know everything that's going into the process of creating a part – a mechanical bearing or anything like that," she said. "The money's great too." While she's focusing on continuing her education, Driscoll said she's grateful that she got experience working in her field during high school. "The work experience probably was the best part of Grasso," she said. "I'm not as nervous when it comes to entering the real workforce now." Thomas Allen, head of the mechanical design and engineering technology department at Grasso, said Driscoll's experience is not unusual. He said 90% to 95% of students are offered entry-level positions when they graduate, and around half of them turn the offers down to go on to college. Adelmo Lia works the manufacturing machine at Emmett O'Brien Technical High School. Steve Orloski, 49 POSITION: Department head of precision machine technology SCHOOL: Emmett O'Brien Technical High School, Ansonia RESIDENCE: Beacon Falls GREENSKEEPER: Orloski is an avid golfer and former golf coach Amy Howroyd, 30 POSITION: Welding & metal fabrication teacher SCHOOL: Bristol Technical Education Center RESIDENCE: New Hartford ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER: Howroyd enjoys camping, hiking and making metal sculptures PHOTO | Michael Papetti