NORTHAMPTON — Two Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School students testified at the Massachusetts State House last week on a bill that would allow vocational school students to use hoisting equipment while still in school.

For decades, students enrolled in Smith Voc’s horticultural program had been trained on using hoisting equipment, such as skid-steers and excavators, to gain experience on using the machines before officially obtaining their license and graduating into the workforce. But that all changed in January this year, when the school was told by the state’s Division of Occupational Licensure (DOL) that it had to cease letting most students use the equipment, said James Anspach, a horticulture instructor at the school.

“For the 11th and 12th graders, this is probably about 40% of their educational time with me, so it’s a significant piece of their education that’s now not available,” said Anspach, who has been teaching at the school for 30 years. “There are other things in our curriculum to teach, and I’m just doing them now instead of later in the calendar year in hopes that this might be resolved.”

Anspach said the Massachusetts General Laws had allowed exceptions for hoisting equipment used for agricultural purposes. Smith Vocational, which has its own farm, had interpreted that as allowing it for its own students. But the school, along with other vocational schools across the state, were told they did not meet the legal definition of farms and had to stop allowing students to use the equipment, citing safety reasons.

“The agency that oversees hoisting regulations simply is just enforcing the law, but it’s not working to help find a solution either,” Anspach said.

Adding to the confusion is that Smith Voc recently received more than $7 million in Skills Capital Grants from the state to expand its horticultural and animal science programs over the last two years. Among other things, the grants included funds for purchasing and training on new hoisting equipment for the school — equipment the students can no longer use.

“We received a lot of money recently to try to help rebuild our horticulture program with the fire we had a couple of years ago,” said Smith Vocational Superintendent Andy Linkenhoker. “We actually received a lot of new heavy equipment that would require a hoisting license.”

According to Linkenhoker, the ruling also brings additional conflict between state agencies, with the DOL and the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education having differing rules when it comes to allowing vocational school students to use hoisting equipment.

“We were supposed to teach the students how to properly operate the equipment,” he said. “At the end of the day, we were informed that no student should be operating any equipment that requires a hoisting license. Obviously that impacts our educational experience.”

Avonna Wickles, an 11th grade student in Smith Voc’s horticulture program, said she not being able to operate the equipment as a student would cause her to lose out on job prospects once she completes her education.

“When I graduate, I know I’m going to operate heavy equipment or drive a truck,” she said in an interview. “When businesses are hiring for those positions, they want people with experience, because otherwise they’re going to have to train them before they can start work.”

A current bill in the House, introduced by state Rep. Patricia Haddad, whose district includes the town of Dighton and Somerset in Bristol County (and the Bristol County Agricultural High School), would amend the state’s regulations to allow exemptions for vocational students, provided that an instructor with a proper hoisting license is on hand at all times.

On Sept. 13, Sam Jenkins and Chris Alexander, two students currently enrolled at Smith Voc, testified before the state’s Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security as part of a cohort of vocational school students across the state to advocate for the bill.

“Having the ability to run this equipment is pretty much the main reason I joined the shop,” Alexander told the committee. “Not being able to run that equipment is quite a shame and it’s heartbreaking for a lot of students, and it obviously motivated us to come down here and share our thoughts on it.”

Jenkins, a 16-year-old student at the school, said he joined the horticultural program because he liked working outdoors with new tools. He noted the contradiction between the state giving money to the school for new equipment, while also banning students from using it.

“Not being able to operate the new equipment we recently acquired from the state is holding us back from learning the skills and knowledge we need to continue and expand our experience in our trade,” Jenkins told the committee.

Jenkins also said he understood why the rules had been enforced, but that banning the use of hoisting equipment would likely harm students more than it would help them.

“While I’m sure the people who make the rules want young people to be safe, I would say we are actually at more risk now. Rather than working under our teachers, high school seniors who turn 18 will get their hoister’s license and go right to work on heavy equipment without any experience at all.”

State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez of Springfield, who co-chairs the committee, commended the students for providing their insight onto the bill.

“Thank you for taking this issue and making it work through the democratic process by coming and voicing your issues, your concerns and your solutions,” he said. “Your parents must be proud of all of you.”

Linkenhoker also expressed admiration for the students regarding their testimony.

“At the very least, for high school students to be able to exercise their civic responsibility and opportunity to voice their opinions at the State House, I think that speaks volumes,” he said.

Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.

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