ENGINEERING CTE PATHWAY AT CARPINTERIA HIGH SCHOOL

Manufacturing tools and support from:

Haas CNC

Rincon Engineering Technologies

Aeon Laser USA

Bambu Lab

PATHWAY OVERVIEW

The Warrior Workshop is a 2-3 year Career Technical Education (CTE) engineering and manufacturing pathway at Carpinteria High School. In the program, students take a series of classes that culminate with real-world internship opportunities.

Students start with Intro to Engineering, which earns them fine art credits. In Intro to Engineering, students learn how to operate tools like the laser cutter, 3D printers, and CNC router table. Students typically start with simple "skill builder" projects, then move into more open-ended and complex tasks that require teamwork and creativity. For example, building 3D printed marshmallow catapults with strict distance and accuracy requirements.

Advanced Engineering is the capstone course in the pathway. In this class, students learn how to use the more advanced tools in the workshop, such as the Haas TM-1P Mill and the TL-1 Lathe. Along the way, students will learn how to make precise measurements and program toolpaths using Fusion 360 CAD / CAM. Similar to the intro level course, Advanced Engineering includes both "skill builder" exercises and more complex projects.

Throughout the pathway, students will earn industry recognized certificates to help them build their resumes and support their future career or college aspirations. Additionally, we are actively working toward building relationships with local engineering and machining firms, such as Rincon Engineering, so that program graduates can land a valuable internship after graduating.

Touring the Haas Factory in Oxnard

Kurt Miller: Engineering Teacher

Hey there!

My name is Kurt Miller and I have been a teacher for 13 years. I didn't start off as an engineering teacher--in fact, I was about as far off from becoming an engineer as possible in college. I graduated from UCSB with a double-major in religious studies and art history, with a masters in religious studies. After finishing up the masters, I went back to school to earn a teaching credential in social studies.

My teaching career started in Ventura at Foothill Technology High School. After several years teaching history and health, a fortuitous donation of a Makerbot Replicator 2 3D printer and a couple of Arduinos changed my career trajectory dramatically.

With the printer and the Arduinos, I started a lunchtime maker club. That club attracted student interest and it quickly evolved into an academy. During those early years (around 2016), I didn't really know what the program was really all about--was I teaching circuits, graphic design, CAD, or coding? After a year or two, the program coalesced around three main ideas: entrepreneurship, design, and technology (advanced manufacturing). The program, officially known as "DTech" rapidly evolved into a CTE academy after Mr. Yiu Hung Li joined the cause.

We built DTech into a quality academy with over 100 students and a waitlist to get in. DTech students designed, built, and sold thousands of dollars worth of custom-built products through our Shopify page and wholesale. Despite the sucess of DTech, I was still teaching a full load of history and health classes, which drained my time from what I really wanted to be doing--teaching practical design and engineering skills.

After many years at FTHS, I made a career change and moved my teaching job to Carpinteria High School so I could be closer to home and to Finn and Zephyr's school, Canalino Elementary. It was really hard for me to leave DTech, FTHS, and Mr. Li (who is now the lead of DTech), but ultimately the change has stiumulated new learning and new possibilities. My position at Carpinteria High School is now entirely focused on teaching manufacturing, design, and engineering. I hope to add an entrepreneurship element to my courses in the future.

Speaking of the future--my goal is to grow the engineering program at CHS into a robust and rich academy with dedicated students who will learn in-demand engineering, manufacturing, and design skills.

WARRIOR WORKSHOP

ENGINEERING CTE PATHWAY AT CARPINTERIA HIGH SCHOOL

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