Area students address real-life business challenges at Tyco

"Working in a 'real-life' business environment gave me an enhanced sense of possible career choices," said Lisa Fredette, an IT intern at SimplexGrinnell who participated in the Women in Technology Program.

SimplexGrinnell and Tyco Safety Products led this year's student orientation at Mount Wachusett Community College to kick off the fifth year of a highly successful school partnership program that encourages young women to consider careers in the fields of engineering and technology.

Since its inception in 2001, almost 100 young women throughout the North Central Massachusetts area have participated in the Women in Technology Program, a School to Career Program that aims to develop a connection between local businesses, secondary schools and post-secondary colleges.

Last year, 26 students from the following schools participated in the program: Leominster Center for Technical Education, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, Gardner High School, Narragansett Regional High School and Oakmont Regional High School. This year, the program is being expanded to include students from Murdock High School and Athol High School.

At the orientation, students learned about the program and the business projects they will complete. The program requires that students work in teams for five hours every other week at Tyco's Westminster office building, working directly with engineers and information technology professionals from Tyco Safety Products and SimplexGrinnell

to develop solutions to reallife business challenges. Students in the program put in many additional hours on their own, and must at the same time stay current with all their schoolwork.

Statistically, women are underrepresented in engineering and information technology careers. This program was developed to provide an introduction to these careers for young women in the North Central Massachusetts area. It does so through an applied learning environment that enhances their current academic experience, builds confidence, helps to develop transferable job skills, and provides a meaningful workbased learning experience.

"Working in a 'real-life' business environment gave me an enhanced sense of possible career choices," said Lisa Fredette, an IT intern at SimplexGrinnell who participated in the Women in Technology Program.

Through their support for Women in Technology, Tyco Safety Products and SimplexGrinnell are helping fulfill a commitment to build healthy, vital communities. At the same time, they also benefit from the experience by developing mentoring skills within their organizations and gaining tangible results from student projects.

Bill Haigis, Director of Global Business Development at Tyco Safety Products, said the Women in Technology Program has been a win-win arrangement for Tyco Safety Products, SimplexGrinnell and the bright young women who participate.

"It provides invaluable hands-on experience to students who would otherwise rely solely on classroom instruction to grasp key concepts necessary to succeed in today's technology-based job market. We enjoy the opportunity to offer real-life initiatives. Even more important and enjoyable is the chance to mentor and coach the students through the activities. We tend to learn as

much as the students each year. Tyco Safety Products and SimplexGrinnell very much look forward to continuing the program into the future."

For more information about the Women in Technology Program, please contact Mr. Michael Gerry, STC Coordinator, at the Greater Gardner School to Career Partnership at (978) 632-1780.

-  - - Submitted to The Journal