Worcester Tech: Offering Cheap Oil Changes and Hair Cuts

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Hallie Fortin decorates desserts in Worcester Tech's culinary program

Already a showpiece in the city, Worcester Technical High School’s real world education also provides great deals to area residents for several essential services. The services are a bargain for the customers, since they only pay for parts and materials, not labor.

Available Services

The school, which is home to a day spa, a café, a 16 bay auto service center, as well as a branch of the Worcester Credit Union, welcomes the public in to take advantage of the school’s services so students can gets hands on experience as they learn their trades. Auto body repair, preschool, meeting space and a full service restaurant are also available to the public.

“We service over 150 vehicles a month in our collision shop alone,” Principal Sheila Harrity said. “One of the successes of our school is the authentic learning experience.”

Harrity said that all funds received for services are kept in a revolving fund which is used to purchase additional materials for the vocational program.

Brian E. Allen, Chief Financial and Operations Officer for Worcester Public Schools said the school restaurant has collected $101,749 since July, automotive $4,268, cosmetology $2,040, finance $4,236, and graphics $2,441.

What It Costs

The Day Spa starts its services early in the morning – 8 am for all chemical services (perms and color treatments), but the price can’t be beat at $27 and up for a perm and $25 and up for a color and cut. A facial is $13, and a manicure is $8. Waxing, braiding, frosting and foil also available. Appointments are required for all services.

Lunch for two at the Skyline Bistro, the school’s full service restaurant is less than $20. In additional to the bistro’s regular menu, the restaurant also features several daily specials, such as Fra Diavolo, which was on the menu yesterday. Students from the hospitality and culinary programs run the restaurant and prepare the food.

Steve and Cathy Nelson of Westborough have been dining at the bistro since it opened, and stopped in while they were out running errands.

“It’s really upscale, and they have excellent clam chowder,” Mrs. Nelson said. “There are generous portions and the presentation is beautiful.

Along the school’s Main Street, visitors to the school can grab a quick sandwich to go from the café. Sandwiches and salads are $4.50, cookies are .25 and a small coffee is .50. Yesterday’s featured salad was poached pear salad with goat cheese and almonds.

Auto Shop

The auto body shop, led by Steve Stefanik, does all kinds of body work. In addition to repairing vehicles damaged in a collision, the shop is in the process of restoring a 1969 Camaro.

A basic auto detail job is $30. Like all other services, auto repair work is done for the cost of parts. All vehicles that are repaired are also detailed.

“I try to take cars that fit our curriculum,” Stefanik said. “If we’re doing quarter panels, then I take a car with quarter panel work, if it’s welding, then I try and take a car that needs some welding.”

“We try to take cars that are less than 10 years old – we want the kids to be trained on the newest technologies,” Stefanik said

An oil change is done for the cost of parts, usually $20 to $30, a nice chunk less than the $40 Jiffy Lube charges.

Kelly Bergeron of Leicester was at the school picking up her Chevy Trailblazer.

Danielle Varney puts the finishing touch on a detailed car.

“I used to go to the old school, and this is the second time I’ve been here,” she said. “I’m getting my brake lights fixed, and last time I was having my ball joints replaced. I love it here – they follow through, they’re very nice, and it’s convenient.”

Her cost for the lights? $29.45.

Education Costs

While the services are affordable to the customer, the costs of running a vocational high school are significantly higher than that of a regular four year high school.

Figures from Worcester Public Schools website show that the FY 2012 budget for the Worcester Technical HS is just over $13 million, with a student population of 1336. Nearly $5 million of the budget is dedicated to Chapter 74 – Vocational/Technical Education.

State law requires that each city and town offer vocational education to those students who are admitted to the school.

By contrast, Doherty Memorial High has a budget of $8.4 million for its 1331 students and South High has $8.9 million for its 1337 students. At Burncoat High School the figure is $7.3 million, with a student population of $1016; North High’s 1193 students operate with a $6.8 million budget.

Students must apply and be accepted to the Worcester Technical High School. Kyle Brenner, Director of Vocational Education said there are typically 800 applications for the school’s 400 slots. Students must live in the city to attend the school.

Brenner said the school boasts a 95.8 percent graduation rate, even though it draws from the same population as the rest of the city. According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website, Doherty’s graduation rate is 81 percent, the highest of the city’s four comprehensive high schools.

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