Workforce Development & Training

In the Lima, Ohio, area, local educators and businesses are trying to bridge the gap between education and the business world. For example, the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce and an Ottawa-Glandorf High School business teacher created an experimental program last year called Emerging Business Leaders. The intention was to connect junior and senior high school students who had taken at least 3 years of elective business classes with CEOs or owners of local businesses. Also, Apollo Career Center, a trade school in Lima with a licensed practical nurse training facility in Ottawa, works with local businesses to learn what jobs need to be filled and then trains people to fill those jobs.

From the Napa Valley Register: "I ended up taking Machine Tool Technology by accident – I didn't know what it was. When the professor started by talking about the danger of getting scalped by machines, I thought 'What am I getting myself into?' But once we got started working I fell in love with the trade and knew what I wanted to do with my life."

Shape Corp., a tier-one automotive and industrial component supplier, is partnering with the SME Education Foundation to expand its manufacturing education program for high school students. The Foundation, Shape Corp. and Grand Haven Area Public Schools will collaborate through SME's Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education (PRIME) initiative, to develop and launch an advanced manufacturing education program at Grand Haven (Mich.) High School beginning in the 2018 academic year.

Machine tool builder GF Machining Solutions LLC announced its new "learn and earn" apprenticeship program during the first day of the machine tool builder's 2-day Solutions Days open house. The event, which took place June 6-7 at its Lincolnshire, Ill., headquarters, included technical presentations and equipment demonstrations.

Local high schools investing heavily in technical education have noticed interest from an unexpected subset of students: females. Late last year the Sheboygan Area School District built new advanced manufacturing labs at both high schools under a program called "Red Raider"—and similar manufacturing education centers have been constructed in high schools in Plymouth and Sheboygan Falls in recent years.

SMTCL USA Inc., City of Industry, Calif., received an award at the Digital Manufacturing Showcase event Feb. 10 from Galesburg High School for the machine tool builder's part in a new partnership bringing manufacturing training to high school students. This program gives students an opportunity to learn CAD, CNC programming and CNC operation. Students from six local high schools will be able to take the classes.

Two high school students — senior Margaret Schiffer and sophomore Rosie Sirk — traveled to Los Angeles to represent the National Robotics League on behalf of Beaumont School at the SolidWorks World Conference.