Page 14 - MTWIFall2025

14 ELECTRONIC EDITION: WWW.MANUFACTURINGTODAYWI.COM

Metal Technology Program Builds Skills and Futures at

Marshfield High School

students craft dice, levels, hammers, screw- the school district and their teachers are
drivers, and pens, while sheet metal classes invited to learn about future careers, explore
produce toolboxes, grills, and other func- workplace skills, and discover CTE course
tional products. These projects provide options. In the metal technology area, sixth
tangible results, showing students how graders partner with a high school student
classroom instruction translates into real- to fabricate a “nuts and bolts animal.” These
world applications. engaging activities introduce younger stu-
Beyond the classroom, many students dents to technical skills in a fun, hands-on
gain professional experience through Wis- way and encourage them to explore CTE
consin’s Youth Apprenticeship program. By coursework as they move into middle and
dividing their time between school and local high school.
employers, they earn wages while apply- Like many technical education pro-
ing technical skills in authentic workplace grams, Marshfield’s faces challenges with
settings. These apprenticeships often lead facilities. The current metal technology
directly to post-graduation employment or lab, built in the 1960s, is overcrowded and
advanced training, giving students a strong outdated. Recognizing the importance of
head start in the workforce. updating the space, the community sup-
Local industry partnerships have also ported a school district referendum in
played a critical role in shaping and sus- fall 2024 to fund a major renovation and

Jennifer L. Fredrick introduce welding, machining, and sheet
Career & Technical Education Coordinator metal while also emphasizing broader
Marshfield High School skills such as print reading, entrepreneur-
Marshfield High School, home to 1,200 ship, design, and problem-solving. As they
students, has seen strong and consistent advance, students move into more special-
enrollment in its metal technology program. ized classes, including Welding Theory,
Over the past three years, an average of Machining Theory, Advanced Manufactur-
280 students annually, have chosen courses ing, and Innovative Fabrication. Several of
in this pathway, demonstrating both the these courses are offered as dual credit, in
program’s appeal and its role in preparing partnership with the local technical college,
students for technical careers. allowing students to earn both high school
The program is designed to allow and college credit while building technical
steady growth as students progress through skills.
high school. Each year, students may enroll Hands-on projects are central to the cur-
in a general metal technology class that riculum. Fabrication and welding students
builds on prior learning. Early courses design and build can crushers, automo-
tive creeper stools, and trailers. Machining

taining the program. Companies collaborate expansion. Construction on the new state-
with the school to provide mentorship, of-the-art facility is scheduled to begin in
job opportunities, and updated equipment. spring 2026, with completion targeted for
Recent investments have included new CNC 2028.
machines, specifically a milling machine This investment represents far more
and lathe, allowing students to train on the than new walls and equipment. It reflects
same technology they will encounter in a shared commitment to preparing stu-
modern facilities. Industry representatives dents for the future, supporting local
also visit classrooms to mentor students, industry needs, and ensuring that technical
share career insights, and explain workplace education remains a vibrant part of the high
expectations. school experience. With updated facilities,
The program is led by instructors Ben expanded space, and strong community part-
Will and Luke Behling, who combine tech- nerships, Marshfield High School’s metal
nical expertise with a passion for preparing technology program is well-positioned to
students for success. Their leadership, along serve students for decades to come.
with the continued support of local industry,
has created a program that blends academic
learning with employable skills.
Another way the department sparks marshfieldschools.org
interest in technical education is through
Career Explorer, a Career and Technical
Education (CTE) event hosted at Marshfield
High School. Each year, all sixth graders in