South Shore Tech: Developing our future workforce​

The trades are facing a shortage of skilled workers. But with robust programs like carpentry, electrical, automotive, plumbing, HVAC and metal fabrication, students at the new South Shore Vocational Technical High School will be set up for success and ready to enter the workforce after graduation. A new South Shore Tech building isn’t just about the kids of today. It’s about the workforce of tomorrow, creating an economy where we can all succeed.

Serving our entire community

South Shore Tech opened in 1962 to students in grades 11-12. By 1964, 142 students were enrolled in five vocational programs: Automotive Repair, Electronics, Auto Body Repair, Machine Shop and Precision Metals.

As of September 2024, South Shore Tech has an enrollment of 685 students and a considerable waiting list for the start of the 24-25 school year. The school now offers a full complement of academic courses in English, math, science, social studies and physical education alongside these Chapter 74 programs.

• • • Automotive
    • Culinary Arts
    • Carpentry
    • Cosmetology
    • Electrical
    • Design & Visual Communications
    • Computer Information Technology
    • HVAC-R
    • Allied Health
    • Advanced Manufacturing Electronic Technology
    • Metal Fabrication/Welding
    • Horticulture & Landscape Construction

Adult Education

MassHire and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development are committed to providing the community with accessible adult education and opportunities for skill development. Inclusive and affordable education can have a profound impact on individuals and the community as a whole. With this goal in mind, South Shore Tech offers a free 13-week program, funded by a CTI (Career Technical Initiative) Grant, to train underemployed and unemployed individuals in key trades such as Automotive, HVAC, Landscaping, Carpentry, and Metal Fabrication/Welding. For more information, please visit https://southshore.tech/.

Why a new build?

Constructing a new school is a decision we made after years of painstaking research, analysis and due diligence. Here are the reasons a new building benefits our community more than renovating our current facility.

Renovations have a poor long-term value​.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority provides a much lower rate of reimbursement for additions and renovations. We would also spend significant dollars on temporary non-reimbursable measures, such as modular classrooms and accounting for longer construction phases.

Renovations would cause extra disruptions to learning and the community​.

A renovation would require up to four years of construction in and around a fully occupied building — four years of noise, learning disruptions, parking constraints and traffic impacts. We would also need to relocate some of South Shore Tech’s shops, an extremely difficult task given the specialized equipment in those programs.

They don’t meet our educational goals​.

New programs such as plumbing and veterinary science couldn’t happen in a renovated existing facility without closing other programs. We would also be able to accommodate fewer students overall due to necessary code upgrades​, which would result in an even longer waiting list that we already have. The existing layout is also sprawling, with less than desirable adjacencies, and has substandard security measures and public access points.

They’re only a temporary bandage for our school building’s issues, with limited longevity and energy efficiency.

Even after being brought up to code, certain components and systems at South Shore Tech — like the structure and underground plumbing — will be more than 60 years old. And even with added insulation, the building’s exterior envelope will not be as weather tight and energy-efficient as new construction​.

Why 900 students?

• Student demand data shows the need to expand to this number.
• MSBA reviews allowed the team to study an enrollment of up to 975 students but the team chose to study up to 900 students due to cost.
• Our site can handle the increase in students. ​
• The cost estimates between 805 and 900 students were very close, so we chose to provide opportunities to more kids in our communities.

Project Timeline and Status

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