City of Rochester
News Release
(Monday, August 20, 2012) – Mayor Thomas S. Richards and Rochester City School District Superintendent Bolgen Vargas were joined today by 11th and 12th grade city high school students to kick off the Career Pathways to Public Safety program. The program, which begins with the school year on September 5, was expanded in 2011 to include job training in the fields of fire. police and security services, emergency communications, emergency medical technology (EMT). This year program is consolidating at the Rochester Educational Opportunity Center (REOC).
“This is an example of how City government can help to create collaborations that broaden and enrich the important connections that exist between our youth and the public safety professions,” said Mayor Thomas S. Richards. “Not only can this contribute to our employment pool and provide valuable vocational training, it will foster our community’s long-term public safety and economic development.”
Since the early 1990s, the Rochester Fire Department has collaborated with the RCSD on a Firefighter Trainee program in which students studied fire prevention and firefighting. The program prepared students for the various aspects of the Firefighter Civil Service examination and provided students the opportunity to participate in dual enrollment with Monroe Community College. Students also received mentoring by Rochester Firefighters. Upon their graduation, students became candidates to enter the Fire Academy. The new program will continue to provide these opportunities, but now offers training in other areas of public safety, making students more marketable upon graduation.
New program options provide students with opportunities to obtain N.Y. State security guard certification or Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) certification in emergency dispatch. Students will be exposed to first responder, EMT Basic, CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) curriculum, as well as study Civil Service exam requirements and learn from professionals in their fields through job-shadowing, ride-alongs, mentoring and classroom visits and discussions.
“Career and technical education (CTE) programs are very important to our students and we are happy to work with the community to increase these opportunities,” Superintendent Vargas said.
Joining the Mayor and Superintendent in making the announcement were City Council President Lovely A. Warren, Interim Rochester Fire Chief Salvatore Mitrano III, Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard and City Director of the Department of Human Resource Management Tassie Demps, RCSD Director of Career and Technical Education Beverly Gushue, Rural/Metro Medical Services’ Rochester Division Public Information Officer LaShay Harris and Roosevelt Mareus, Dean/Executive Director of the Rochester Educational Opportunity Center (REOC).
President Warren helped facilitate the program’s relocation to the newly renovated State University of New York College at Brockport’s REOC Downtown, located at 161 Chestnut Street. City Councilmembers Loretta Scott and Adam McFadden were also in attendance.
“I am pleased to know that when students participate in this life-changing program this year, they will be doing it in a space that provides an atmosphere conducive to the instruction and training that will be provided,” said President Warren. “Furthermore, I am delighted that the City and RCSD came together to enhance this program, creating opportunities that will benefit these youth not only this school year but for the rest of their lives.”
Students in their junior year will spend nine weeks in a Public Safety Career Awareness course studying each entity to get a broad look at the various occupations throughout the school year. Students will then choose a field and spend 36 weeks in a Career Development course focusing on one career field throughout their senior year. Students must meet program criteria set forth by the program Advisory Board for acceptance into the program and maintain that criteria throughout the program. Students receive school credit towards graduation along with the opportunity to receive college credit for participation in the program.
Rochester Police Officers and Firefighters, Rural/Metro EMTs and City 911 Dispatchers helped to develop the various curriculums, which will be delivered by Rochester City School District Teachers at the REOC.
There are openings available for students wishing to enroll. They can apply online at www.rcsdk12.org/careerpathways. For more information, contact Beverly Gushue at 262-8532.
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News Media: For more information, contact City Department of Human Resource Management Director Tassie Demps at 428-6185.