May 4, 2024, Albany Times Union : Hudson Valley Community College launches unique program for students with autism
Troy-based college opens a CNC machine operator course for hyper-focused students
TROY – A new program for students with autism is opening at Hudson Valley Community College and there is nothing like it in the state.
In it, they will learn the skills – and receive the industry credentials – to work as CNC machine operators. That’s a high-paying, in-demand job that requires hyper-focus and attention to detail. Students who have autism often have the ability to hyper-focus. Those who have taken the relevant courses at HVCC in the past have done very well but typically needed more time to learn the material, teachers said.
That’s why they decided to revamp the courses with a focus on students who are on the spectrum, a phrase that acknowledges the wide range of ways in which autism affects people. The courses are offered at a slower pace. At the end of the one-year program, HVCC officials hope to place each student in a job in the field.
For John Roy Schlessman, who is on the spectrum, the program has propelled him into the first job he has ever truly enjoyed, at Ross Valve Manufacturing Co. . . .
“I’ve been working at various places. I haven’t been extremely passionate about them,” he said.
“That’s what makes this program so unique,” said DeAnne Martocci, associate dean for student development. “It will really break down the social skills (needed) in an employee setting.”
Many adults on the spectrum are unemployed or under-employed, not earning livable wages with benefits, she said.
“They have skills. They should be somewhere else making more money,” Martocci said. “This is a highly intelligent group of people. They should not be sitting home.” . . .
Machine operators often make $20 to $30 an hour. If they go on to become machinists, they can make more than $100,000 a year.
Once the machine operators program is running, HVCC plans to add similar programs for robotics and cybersecurity. Martocci hopes to find high-paying jobs for many under-employed adults on the spectrum.
“We have an opportunity to impact the Capital District,” she said. . . .
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