High School Advisory Boards with Patterson High School CDL Instructor Dave Dein

Dave Dein, the CDL coordinator and instructor at Patterson High School in California, shares his experience with forming an advisory board for their truck driving program. The advisory board consists of local trucking companies who contribute to the program and help guide its development. They meet quarterly or every six months and have ongoing conversations outside of official meetings. The industry partners participate in various ways, including guest speaking, field trips, and drop-ins to interact with students. The advisory board meetings include reviewing previous notes, updates from instructors and students, and planning for the career fair available to all students. The logistics program also focuses on resume writing and interview skills with assistance from industry partners through mock interviews.

The career fair is an opportunity for students to showcase their preparedness and secure job offers. A wide variety of jobs are available for students, but some require them to be at least 18 years old. The logistics program educates industry partners about alternative ways to involve younger individuals in the industry. Students value career paths over just jobs because they offer advancement opportunities and learning experiences. Building relationships with employees through advisory boards helps retain talent and creates a sense of community. The CT director manages the advisory board, which includes scheduling meetings and providing lunch incentives. The president of the advisory board plays a crucial role in promoting programs across the district and supporting teachers by meeting specific needs like providing trucks or organizing gifts for students in need. It's important to have supportive members on the advisory board who share a passion for advancing education in trucking. Networking is key to finding suitable candidates, even salespeople can contribute valuable insights as part of an advisory board. Virtual meetings can make participation more convenient for industry professionals while still allowing face-to-face interactions when necessary.

1.  Establishing an Advisory Board: Dave mentioned the importance of bringing in the trucking voice into the advisory board and finding local trucking companies that would embrace and contribute to the program. The action item would be for schools to identify relevant industry partners and invite them to join the advisory board.

2. Industry Participation: Dave emphasized the importance of industry partners being actively involved in the program. This involvement can include guest speaking engagements, field trips to industry sites, and drop-ins to interact with students. The action item would be for schools to encourage industry partners to participate in these activities to provide hands-on experiences and build relationships with students.

3. Networking and Finding Supportive Members: Dave emphasized the need to network within the industry to identify individuals who have a passion for the program and are willing to support it. The action item would be for schools to actively reach out to potential advisory board members, make connections, and invite those who are enthusiastic about the program to join the board.

4. Leveraging Advisory Board Support: Dave mentioned how he leaned on the advisory board for support when facing challenges, such as securing a running truck for teaching purposes. 

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