The second TechTerns program officially kicked off when the students visited the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin campus for their first session on Thursday, February 4, 2016. Fifteen Bradley Tech sophomores were welcomed to the campus by John Balzer, Froedtert’s Vice President, Facility Planning and Development, Catherine Buck, President of Froedtert Hospital, and Catherine Jacobson, President and CEO, Froedtert Health.
The agenda for the day was packed with:
- Professional Team introductions
- TechTern Introductions
- Overview of the TechTern program
- Insight into Froedtert’s Integrated Procedural Platform project
- Hands-on project planning and layout activity
- Discussion with Vascular & Interventional Radiologist Dr. William Rilling
- Behind the scenes tour of a number of departments within the operational hospital
The TechTerns Program is a two-year, real-life learning lab for Milwaukee Bradley Tech High School students for career pathway exploration in various careers involved with design, construction, facility operations, healthcare, and other careers within an operational hospital. Throughout the project, students will visit the site quarterly to follow the progression of the Integrated Procedural Platform project.
Students work with classroom-based Bradley Tech teachers at both the school and the construction site. Students will be aligned with community mentors who work in various design, construction, and various healthcare technical positions. Classroom instruction, industry mentor involvement and periodic visits to the Froedtert & the Medical College campus combine to provide “TechTerns” a unique opportunity to:
- career pathway exploration in various aspects of the building project and associated careers including design, construction management, trades including HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems, interior design, and technical healthcare careers such as planning/facilities, surgical sterile, AV/Technology/IT, supply chain, and biomed and clinical engineering, among many others.
- interact with the building’s owner, design, construction, and healthcare teams
- learn how this type of project is planned and executed – from experts who actually work on the job
- perform hands-on design and construction activities
- see first-hand how the project progresses
- gain on-the-job problem-solving skills
- relate work-based learning to classroom education in construction and architecture
- tie this learning experience into other classes including math and science
- learn how the new spaces contribute to the success of a healthcare organization and patient experience
To learn more about the first TechTerns program visit our TechTerns page.