MARLBOROUGH – The Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) has appointed Mario Sousa, the Career Technical Education Director at Salem High School, as its first Safety/OSHA Coordinator. MAVA is a professional association that promotes high-quality career and technical education in Massachusetts. Its 55 member schools enroll approximately 50,000 students in vocational and technical education programs.

In this part-time position, Mr. Sousa will oversee MAVA’s efforts to deliver safety training to both students and instructors. Among other things, he will coordinate MAVA safety training and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) courses. This will include scheduling and logistics, registration assistance to students, oversight, recordkeeping, and follow-up.

“Safety is our number one priority in vocational and agricultural education,” said Heidi Riccio, Superintendent at Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School. Dr. Riccio, who serves as MAVA’s treasurer this year, is also a certified OSHA Trainer.

“As we train our future workforce, it is essential our students are prepared to work safely in their respective fields of study,” she said. “Mario is really taking on a vital role for MAVA and we’re confident that he has the background, skills, and enthusiasm to excel in this position.

”MAVA offers OSHA courses and safety training for the benefit of its members. OSHA courses are offered through Fitchburg State University and the Region I OSHA Training Institute Education Center at Keene State College in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Mr. Sousa currently serves at Career Technical and Cooperative Education Director at Salem High School, where he oversees 430 students in eight career and technical education programs. He assumed those duties last September.

Mr. Sousa will now also be responsible for keeping MAVA schools aware of statewide safety initiatives and in promoting OSHA courses to both instructors and students.

A certified OSHA Trainer, Mr. Sousa previously served as Safety Coordinator at Somerville High School.

Mr. Sousa began his professional career as a teenager, starting his first business during his sophomore year at Somerville High School. After 12 years operating his own general contracting company, he was given the opportunity to return to Somerville High as a Painting and Design teacher and then as Lead Carpentry teacher. He was one of the founding advisors for Somerville’s SkillsUSA Chapter, the founding advisor of Girls in Trade, and the lead staff member to revise and expand the school’s Exploratory program.

He has served in a variety of leadership roles, including working on the Exploratory Frameworks and Carpentry Frameworks revisions through MAVA and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Mr. Sousa is a graduate of where he graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Occupational Education. Academy II.

Fitchburg State University He also is a graduate of He holds Massachusetts state educator licenses MAVA’s Leadership Academy I and Leadership to serve as a and as a Cooperative Education Coordinator. Vocational Technical Supervisor/Director He also holds a Construction Supervisor license.

He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Married with four children, he lives in Ayer.

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