Over the past 20 years, high school students in Pennsylvania have been trained in vending technology through the industry’s only high school vending equipment repair program – The Vending Technologies Program. This year the technician training program, represented by the instructor Davis Haines and two students, will be attending NAMA, eager to meet industry members at booth #2238. It’s due to the generosity of NAMA, and the NAMA Foundation, that students from the School District of Philadelphia have been able to exhibit, explained Bud Burke, a long time advisory board member to the program in a letter to the industry.
“Over the course of one’s career there are very few times when by giving a few minutes of your time you can leaving a lasting impression that can influence another’s outlook on life. I believe this is such a moment,” said Burke, encouraging OneShow attendees to visit the Vending Technologies Program booth #2238 while at the trade show. “In past years students who have attended the convention have always returned with a positive outlook of our industry and many are still in the industry today,” he said.
Currently, the Vending Technologies Program is located at the A. Philip Randolph Technical High School. It remains the only program in the country that teaches young men and women how to repair vending equipment, according to Burke. The current instructor David Haines took over when previous instructor Jim Clark retired in 2013. The vending repair technician training program moved to A. Philip Randolph Technical High School in 2014 from its previous location at Edison Fareira High School in Philadelphia, Pa.
