Sports Medicine and Baking & Pastry added to vocational program offerings

By Payton Kimball, STAFF WRITER

May 2, 2025

SANFORD, Maine – Sanford Regional Technical Center has officially announced student acceptances of its two newest programs, Baking & Pastry and Sports Medicine, launching in the 2025-2026 school year.

The programs were introduced in response to student interest and growing workforce demand. According to the SRTC director, Matthew Pertermann, the decision followed a survey sent to students in grades five through 12, including the research into state and national labor needs. 

“We started Baking and Pastry and Sports Medicine based on a survey that we sent out,” Petermann said. “We also look at the job forecast for the state of Maine and nationally to see if there is a demand for those jobs.”

Petermann stated that sports medicine can lead students into athletic training, physical therapy or sports psychology. On the culinary side, there is a continued demand for skilled bakers and pastry chefs. 

“You can’t drive through a town in Maine without finding a bakery or someone who makes cakes or pastries,” he said.

According to SRTC’s website, the Sports Medicine program aims to prepare students for careers in athletic training, physical therapy, sports psychology and more. Real-world experience will be a key focus, with students participating in internships, service learning, and opportunities to shadow athletic trainers through SRTC’s cooperative education program.

The Baking and Pastry program will provide students with hands-on culinary training in a student-run restaurant environment. Year one will focus on foundational skills such as bread making, basic pastry and cake production, and kitchen safety. In the second year, students will focus on pastries, cake decoration, and bakery management, while also working toward their ServSafe certification.

According to Petermann, the programs are funded for the first three years through the ED 279 funding process. Petermann said the school built in budgeting flexibility to adapt to future costs. After the expected period, funding will depend on enrollment numbers.

Isabella McCall, a junior and three-sport athlete, was thrilled to be an accepted applicant for the Sports Medicine program. “I think it’ll be a great way for me to figure out what career I want to do in the future because it relates to so many different careers,” she said, noting she otherwise would not have envisioned herself as an SRTC student.

Both programs include two academic years and focus on hands-on learning. Students will participate in internships, job shadows, or apprenticeships through SRTC’s cooperative education program. 

“For Sports Medicine, it’s very likely students will be able to shadow an athletic trainer,” Petermann said. “For Baking and Pastry, if there’s a baker in town who wants an intern, we’ll send one,” said Petermann. 

All SRTC applicants found out their acceptance on Friday, April 18. These programs reflect SRTC’s growing commitment to offering career-focused education that prepares students for in-demand roles in the workforce.