The Southern Arizona Manufacturing Partners celebrated a noteworthy accomplishment with students, industry and education leaders: The Precision Manufacturing programs at The Sunnyside Unified School District's Desert View High School, Tucson Unified School District's Tucson High School, and Pima Community College have all earned National NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) Accreditation.  

Many employers in Tucson are eagerly seeking to hire students who earn their NIMS certifications from a nationally accredited program. Nearly 100 percent of students who enroll in the programs at Desert View and Tucson High enter the workforce directly after high school, pursue post secondary degrees or certifications at Pima Community College, or join the military. 

"The accreditation would not have been possible without the support of local business and industry members from the Southern Arizona Manufacturing Partners," says Sunnyside District Career and Technical Education Director Kathy Prather. 

Editor's Note: Watch KOLD honor Desert View Teacher Cesar Gutierrez as a University of Arizona/Circle K Teacher of the Year nominee.

Two teams from the JTED @ Mountain View Culinary Arts program will travel to North Charleston, South Carolina in April to compete in the National ProStart Invitational. Students from instructors Becky Yim and Warren Weekes' classes will compete against 500 culinary students from across the nation for scholarships in front of industry leaders, National Restaurant Association Education Foundation Trustees, state restaurant associations, and family and friends. 

One team will compete in the Management category. They will be required to develop a proposal for a unique restaurant concept for industry judges, and be tested on addressing challenges faced by managers daily.

The other team will will prepare a three-course meal in 60 minutes, using only two butane burners, without access to running water or electricity for the Culinary competition.  

Students, parents, and counselors are all invited to Pima JTED's Program Showcase this Saturday, February 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at our JTED @ Camino Seco Campus, 8727 E. 22nd Street. Online enrollment is open at www.pimajted.org