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Philadelphia Vending Repair Program Raises Funds For NAMA Visit

PHILADELPHIA, PA-- The Vending Repair Program run by the Philadelphia School District is seeking support for sending four of its students to the 2020 NAMA Show. The program has been training young Philadelphians in the skills needed to maintain vending equipment, and assisting them in finding employment in the convenience services industry, for more than three decades. Bud Burke of RSA Management Group, who chairs the school's Vending Technology Program Occupational Advisory Committee, explained t...

January 25, 2020 by Tim Sanford

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The Vending Repair Program run by the Philadelphia School District is seeking support for sending four of its students to the 2020 NAMA Show. The program has been training young Philadelphians in the skills needed to maintain vending equipment, and assisting them in finding employment in the convenience services industry, for more than three decades.

Bud Burke of RSA Management Group, who chairs the school's Vending Technology Program Occupational Advisory Committee, explained that continual updates have kept the course of instruction current. "Over the past several years, changes have been made to the curriculum to incorporate electronics," Burke reported. "The inclusion of electronics in the program has not only been necessary to improve the skills of the students, but also for the program's survival."

The career path is now called "Advanced Electronics/Vending Technologies," which enables the program to have a NOTCI (National Occupational Competency Testing Institute) test that determines student competency, Burke said. "This change should ensure the program's survival for many years," he explained.

The course, originally conceived and led by Jim Clark and now taught by Davis Haines, is designed not only to teach the necessary skills, but also to familiarize its students with the industry and the real-world opportunities it offers. It has been assisted in this by the National Automatic Merchandising Association and its affiliated Tri-State Automatic Merchandising Council.

"For many years, NAMA has donated a booth at The NAMA Show," Burke explained. "They have graciously agreed to do this again. But in order to bring the students, the program needs to raise funds."

Accordingly, the advisory committee has launched a "Help bring the students to Nashville" campaign with a goal of $4,500. The objective is to bring two male and two female students, as well as a male and a female chaperone, to the NAMA show. A wide range of sponsorships is available, ranging from $1,500 for an Airfare Sponsor and $1,000 for a Room Sponsor through $500 for a Gold Sponsor, $250 for a Silver Sponsor and $100 for a Bronze Sponsor to $50 for a Friend of the Program. Checks should be made payable to Philip Randolph Technical High School – Advanced Electronics, 3101 Henry Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19132. Sponsors will be recognized in the program's student booth at the NAMA Show.

Information on the fund-raising campaign and the program may be had by calling Bud Burke at (267) 885-7769 or Davis Haines at (856) 607-7827.

About Tim Sanford

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Tim Sanford is the retired, long-time editor of Vending Times.

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