Our Curriculum Consultant

Tom Vessella, Curriculum Consultant

PAXTON/PATTERSON has developed BuildingSkills in collaboration with Tom Vessella -- an innovative and inspiring educator who is a lead teacher/trainer. With extensive experience in vocational education, he is a published author of trade technical curriculum utilizing multiple delivery systems and covering all aspects of industry.

He established the California State Partnership Academy in Construction Technology at Glendale High School and was awarded the 2004 Building Industry Association, Ruby Slipper Award for Extraordinary Commitment in Youth Inspiration Illuminating Crucial Housing Issues. He was awarded the 1999 Teacher of the Year for Los Angeles County Regional Occupational Program.

He is a state approved trainer of teachers in Applied Physics, curriculum integration and project based instruction and is a certified Carpentry Instructor, NCCER, National Center for Construction Education and Research.

Besides being the lead academy teacher at Glendale High School, Tom has participated on the California state advisory committees for career technical education and Building Trades and Construction Standards.

He has worked professionally as a production operations manager for a furniture manufacturer. He has designed and engineered high-end custom furniture and cabinets, and worked for Warner Brothers, Universal, and Paramount Studios as a prop maker and carpenter for set construction.

Tom has presented at numerous state and national conferences on construction education and teaching construction in a modular delivery system. He has acted as a consultant to numerous high schools implementing construction technology programs throughout California. Tom has a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Arts from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and a Master of Arts degree in Industrial Technical Studies from California State University, Los Angeles.