Ken Hilke, computer-aided drafting and CAD teacher at Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School, uses a robot at a manufacturing expo Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, at the Clearview Mall. The robot was made by his students. Butler Eagle file photo.

The Butler County Manufacturing Consortium brought its annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Expo to the Clearview Mall Nov. 5, 2010, which featured about 12 vendors and high school students from throughout the county.

The STEM initiative, as it is also known, was an effort to get students interested in careers in the science and technology fields.

Ken Hilke, computer-aided drafting and robotics instructor at Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School, said a lot of parents didn't realize the viability of vo-tech programs as a lead-in to college.

“People used to think of vo-tech as ‘Oh, my kid can't go to college.' Now, vo-tech prepares kids for these professions, actually putting them ahead of the class, should they attend a university,” he said.