ottray42@gmail.com

Ray has over 20 years experience designing and delivering training in basic mathematics, vocational trade skills and ESL. He has both domestic and international experience with secondary, post-secondary, non-traditional and non-native English speaking students. He brings to We Empower a demonstrated expertise in training design and evaluation.

With a BSc in math, Ray began his working life as an industrial engineer, moving later into manufacturing engineering and the design and construction of automated processing equipment using metalworking and machine tool skills learned from his father, a tool and die maker.

He and his wife then joined the Peace Corps where he became a vocational instructor in Marrakesh, Morocco.  He delivered pre-apprenticeship training in electrical wiring to at-risk youth for the Ministry of Social Services vocational school program, learning enough Moroccan Arabic to carry on instruction.  He also conducted in-service technical training in electricity for Peace Corps colleagues.

After the Peace Corps, Ray returned to the manufacturing industry, but his interest in training had been kindled and he also became an adjunct instructor at the local community college, teaching shop math, blueprint reading and machine tool skills in evening classes.  Deciding that this should be a full-time career, he returned to school and earned an MA in Education. He then went to work for the business and industry extension division of Northern Illinois University. There he designed and delivered industrial workforce training programs customized to suit specific industries. The job entailed conducting training needs assessments and formulated training objectives for on-site and shop floor instruction in manufacturing and construction trade skills, as well as preparing training materials and performance assessments.  During this time Ray earned a postgraduate diploma in ESL in order to assist his many non-native English speaking students. Upon retirement, Ray and Jan again joined the Peace Corps, this time in Western Samoa, where he taught secondary school vocational training classes in woodworking and presented teacher training workshops for Samoan vocational instructors.

Ray obtained a grant for materials and designed a woodworking bench which was used as a hands-on lesson plan for beginning students He also created vocational curriculum for Ministry of Education ‘Second Chance’ program for early school leavers.

Ray’s most recent project took him to Vanuatu where he created a literacy and numeracy screening assessment for adult vocational students. He trained a cadre of Vanuatuan vocational instructors in its administration, and supervised field testing of the instrument for validity and reliability