Teachers build an electric guitar with goal to pass on the skills to STEM students

Steve Brown, a professor of computer-aided design for College of the Redwoods, explains wood construction details to teachers from across the U.S. during a guitar-making workshop for teachers at Ventura College on Thursday. © Anthony Plascencia/VC Star

Learning to build an electric guitar last week, teachers from local schools and other parts of the country worked on developing skills to get their students more interested in science, technology, engineering and math.In the class at Ventura College, the teachers spent about 40 hours shaping, sanding and soldering to learn to make the guitars.

By teaching educators the skills, program organizers hope to have a big effect on students, said Scot Rabe, Ventura College professor of industrial design and manufacturing.

“We’re trying to expand high school students’ interest to get them excited about technical careers,” Rabe said. “We’re kind of tricking them by using an electric guitar.”

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Article reprinted with permission of the VC Star