Check Out Stafford Tech

Stafford Technical Center(STC) is a vocational school that offers a variety of technical and career-focused programs. Students can get hands-on training in fields like automotive technology, culinary arts, digital arts, and more. It's a great place for students seeking practical skills and preparing for the real-world workforce right after graduation. This allows students to do and learn things they wouldn’t get the chance to in a regular high school setting. 

We currently have seven Proctor students attending STC.

Senior Emily Burns attends Stafford Technical Center in the Health program because she wants to get a head start in nursing.  “I chose Stafford Technical Center because I wanted to make a difference. Receiving an LNA in the Health Careers Program would help me with that stepping stone,” Emily said. 

She was also able to earn the following certifications: AHA Heartsaver First Aid, CPR and Choking for Infants, Children and Adults, Stop the Bleed, BLS for Healthcare Providers, First Responder,  and phlebotomy. She says she wouldn't have had the opportunity to obtain these many certifications if it hadn't been for Stafford Technical Center.  

This is just one of the specialized programs offered at Stafford Technical Center. Other programs offered are Automotive technology, Culinary Arts program, Digital Arts, Healthcare, Electrical and Plumbing, Engineering, Natural Resources and Forestry, Cosmetology, Construction Technology, Welding and Fabrication, Public Safety and Criminal Justice, Human Services, Auto Body Repair, Video Communications.  

Melissa Connor, director at STC, and Cindy Dunigan, outreach coordinator, came to Proctor to share applications and other information with the sophomore class.  They said about 90 seniors from nine different schools get in each year in addition to a smaller number of sophomores and juniors.  

They explained students can also take two college classes per semester.  “We don’t grade you by your technical skills,” Ms. Connor explained, noting they grade on professional skills instead.  According to their website, these skills include “Respect, Responsibility & Dependability, Effective Communication, Problem Solving, and Safety.”

If you are interested in finding more information on the programs go to the Stafford Website.

I attended STC during my sophomore and junior years in the programs Natural Resources and Forestry and Autobody.  On my first day of school, I was nervous but after a couple of days I realized it was the best decision I made in my high school career.  For those two years, I got the best hands-on experience I could ask for, and also a number of certifications.  I got my chainsaw certification in Game of Logging as well as ICAR and other car certifications in auto body.  I was fortunate enough to be able to restore and put a brand new paint job on my truck while I was in the Autobody program thanks to the help of my instructors and my buddy Gibson. 

I would highly recommend STC for students who want to get a real life experience before graduating out of a classroom.

Do any of those programs interest you? If so, don’t hesitate to look into joining. There's something for everyone. If you're interested in enrolling or learning more about Stafford, contact Ms.Currao.