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DRAFT
LearnSTEAM Private Alternative School

Trades Ready Skills (1,000-Hour Program)


Students earned their GED and gain paid field experience in construction and environmental science in service to Oregon's central coast communities. This 1000 hour, 9.5 month program, starts in February and ends mid November.

Funding and Value Proposition

With support from the Siuslaw School District, LearnSTEAM is a high-yield investment opportunity for agencies and foundations committed to economic and environmental stability in Oregon. A dozen formally disengaged, high-needs students become productive citizens with soft skills and technical knowledge to enhance our dynamic region.

The program is inherently self-sustaining by design: students operate a mobile MakerSpace and construction crew, generating revenue through commission-based sales of highly marketable products (e.g., custom laser-cut signage, 3D-printed prototypes) and providing direct community services such as general construction, fire safety zone clearance, removal of invasive species, and drone videography. Grant funding provides initial capital and instructional costs, but the revenue from these services, and ongoing contracts with the Siuslaw School District, minimizes long-term reliance on perpetual grants. Agencies like BOLI (Bureau of Labor and Industries), the OISC (Oregon Invasive Species Council), and the OSMB (Oregon State Marine Board) have the privilege of supporting a model that produces immediate, measurable community benefits while cultivating an entrepreneurial workforce.

Staff Efficiency: A Multi-Licensed, Low-Cost Model

Program efficiency is maximized by leveraging highly qualified, multi-endorsed staff. The state-licensed Principal holds multiple credentials: a CCB Licensed General Contractor, an FAA Commercial Drone Pilot (Part 107), a PADI SCUBA Diver, and Oregon Endorsements to teach Career Trades, Biology, Music, Art, English, Social Studies and more. This strategic layering of professional licenses eliminates the costly necessity of hiring multiple, specialized subject-matter experts. With a dedicated staff focused on maintaining a 1-to-6 staff-to-student ratio, LearnSTEAM ensures intensive, personalized instruction without the high overhead typical of traditional vocational institutions.

Circular graph showing 40% Academic, 40% Paid Work/Internship, 20% Field Expeditions for the 1000-hour program.

Fig 1: Program Hour Allocation.

Modular Trades Readiness Certification (1,000-Hour Curriculum)

**Eligibility Contingency:** A student must attend all M-Th morning academic/classroom sessions to be eligible for the paid work and internships scheduled for M-Th afternoons and the 8-hour paid Friday Field Expeditions.

Curriculum Component & Timing Certification/Skill Outcome Estimated Hours Key Activities & Focus
I. ACADEMIC & READINESS (400 Hours) - M-Th Mornings
**GED & Foundational Academics** GED/HSE Attainment (Equivalent to 2.0 Credits) 200 Blended learning tailored to individual academic gaps.
**Compliance & Safety** OSHA 10-Hr Card, CPR/FA Cert. 50 Pre-work safety protocols, including specialized Fall Safety (Required by CCB).
**Driver Ed & Vehicle Maintenance** Driver's License (Class D) Attainment, Basic Mechanics & Road Readiness 50 Drivers License is essential for rural job access. Training includes ODOT required classroom (30 hrs )and in car (12 hrs).
**Culinary and Nutrician Science** Food Handler Permit 50 Students are trained to prepare their own nutritious lunches.
**Business, Financial Literacy** FAA Part 107 Prep (Written Exam), CCB License Prep (Law/Rules), Entrepreneurial Skills 50 Regulations, business operations, and soft skill development.
II. PAID WORK & INTERNSHIPS (400 Hours) - M-Th Afternoons
**Multi-Craft Trades Application** Basic Carpentry, Welding, Wiring, Plumbing, Laser Cutting, 3D Printing 150 Hands-on production for commission sales (self-sustaining revenue).
**Green Building & Weatherization** BPI-BA Principles, Sustainable Methods, Energy Auditing 120 Applied skills with Habitat for Humanity focused on reducing energy demand.
Internships E.g., placement at RC Hobbies, Sandland Adventures... 80 Gaining customer service and job skills experience.
Community Service Cleaning gutters, washing windows and power washing for shut-ins. 50 Exercising soft skills
III. FIELD EXPEDITIONS (200 Hours) - Fridays (8-Hour Paid Day)
**Coastal EDRR Patrol (2x/month)** Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) ID, Water Safety, Kayak/Skin Diving Survey Methods (OISC/OSMB) 100 Direct services to the Oregon Marine Board, leveraging underwater and arial drones .
**Fire Safety & Community Services (1x/month)** Defensible Fire Safety Zone Clearance, Habitat for Humanity Construction 50 Direct community enhancement; fulfilling service component required by many grants.
**Commercial Drone Operations (1x/month)** Drone Videography of Dune Recreation, Areal Mapping, Data Processing 50 Revenue generation via media production; applied use of FAA Part 107 knowledge.
TOTAL PROGRAM HOURS: 1,000 (Achieved over 25 Weeks of Full Attendance)
18+ Accelerated / Supplemental Program
Students 18 years and older may elect to participate in Saturday activities, offering accelerated training or compensation for missed weekday paid work hours. These include advanced trades applications: Treehouse Constructionutilizing arborist climbing gear (advanced fall safety training) and Saltwater Snorkeling/Spearfishing Excursions (with biology data collection and food safety training). This offers high-value, paid opportunities that exceed the core 1,000-hour curriculum.

Prior to this current program, LearnSTEAM's record of success was seen in Klamath Falls.

Student wearing protective gear and welding in a makerspace

Fig 2: Paid Work & Internships: Applied Trades in the MakerSpace.

Students in kayaks wearing wetsuits on an estuary, looking into the water

Fig 3: Field Expeditions: Coastal EDRR Patrol (OISC/OSMB Partnership).