Meet Dane Parks
by Vicki Heisser and Jessica Young |
Since 2003, Dane Parks has been teaching HAZWOPER classes to commercial fishermen, and he is currently working as an adjunct instructor for Tier III as well as SERVS VOO training. But before coming to PWSC to teach, Parks had a number of experiences that have helped shape his teaching today.
Born and raised in Michigan, during his initial college years, Parks took a break from his traditional education to train as a construction surveyor by participating in a cooperative vocational training program. This program led to an associate of applied science. After completing the training, he worked for a year for the Michigan State Highway Department before returning to college. It was this experience that, as he states, “Made [him] a strong believer in vocational education that has never wavered.” He held onto that belief as he completed his teacher education program, and brought it with him when he and his wife moved to Alaska looking for new opportunities.
When Parks and his wife arrived in Alaska, they both found jobs teaching at Palmer High School (PHS). For twenty years, Parks taught at PHS, and it was there that he began to see the value of vocational education.
“There was a resurgence of interest in vocational training at the state and local level. Because of this fortuitous circumstance, I was able to establish surveying and advanced-drafting programs at the high school. Students were able to go directly from high school to drafting and surveying jobs. What greater reward for a teacher than to see his students derive and enjoy the benefits of their education? Some were even working as draftspersons at local utilities prior to graduation.”
Described as “one of the high points of my teaching experience at PHS,” some of those jobs students took were with the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. “Several graduating surveying students that year and the next year went directly from high school to responsible surveying jobs on the pipeline.”
After twenty years at PHS, Parks retired and became a freelance writer, focusing mostly on hunting and fishing pieces. During that time, the Exxon Valdez oil spill happened and Parks worked aboard fishing vessels engaged in response activities. After the spill, he explains, “I went to work for a newly formed company in Anchorage training adults to work safely with hazardous materials, specifically OSHA mandated HAZWOPER. I learned a lot traveling throughout the state and outside training diverse groups —from oil-field workers to ARCO executives — to work safely with and around hazardous materials. When the company I started with went out of business in the late nineties, I went to work in Anchorage for SECORP. While there, I developed their HAZWOPER training program and taught classes.”
Now at PWSC, Parks brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom.
“Whenever we can, we introduce new and relevant materials without eliminating the basics. Knowing that to really learn, a learner must be engaged in the subject at hand -- another of our challenges is developing and leading classroom exercises that involve all students, not just those who raise their hands at every question the instructor poses.”
He knows the value of reaching every student, and he teaches with real world application in mind.
“I believe that the safety issues we teach in SERVS HAZWOPER classes have relevance in their daily lives outside of training exercises, drills or actual response activities. When we get feedback that indicates trainees have and are making safety changes in how they go about their daily work, engage in recreational pursuits or whatever, then we know we are making a difference.”