Portage la Prairie's Mayor Irvine Ferris was treated to a tour of Portage Collegiate Institute's vocational programs recently.

"Blair Hordeski organized it and invited Mayor Ferris and myself," says Pam Garnham, Assistant Superintendent or the Portage la Prairie School Division. "(Ferris) was able to ask questions of the instructors and see what the kids were doing. It was nice because he came at a time when all of the programs were running."

"We went down to the Automotive and they were doing some oil changes and wheel alignments," explains Garnham. "In Carpentry, they were focusing on the CNC machine, and a group of kids were building in the corner, and there was a group of students in the classroom drafting as well. We stopped in at the PCI store that's run by the Business and Marketing Program. We chatted with a student working and the Business and Marketing teacher. Then we went down to the Cosmetology Lab to look at the hairstyling program run there. We chatted with the teacher and students there as well."

Garnham says Ferris really seemed to be impressed with all of the programs offered because he hadn't been in the school in a few years. "He was also really impressed with the community connection that Blair is trying to make. We actually started the day with a one-and-a-half minute video of the kids that were in the High School Apprenticeship Program last year, and what they got from the program. (Ferris) was very happy to see that, and to see the kids are staying in the community afterwards," adds Garnham.

Garnham adds if she had the chance to choose a vocational program it would be Automotive.