Page 14 - MTWIFallWinter2024

14 eleCtroniC edition: WWW.ManufaCturingtodayWi.CoM

filling the need for Welders in the Kiel area Companies

gan. Kiel is fortunate lakeshore College, and the Kiel area school a 10 credit Industrial Welding Certificate
enough to be within district was born. prior to graduating high school. students can
easy travel distance the plan developed during the weeks earn the certificate by taking three welding
of three technical col- and months that followed was imple- courses offered through the tech ed depart-
leges. this provides mented to advance a welding manufacturing ment, providing the potential for 9 of the 10
our students with many pathway for Kiel high school students. this credits. students work through the welding
opportunities for post- pathway created an opportunity for Kiel courses on an individual, self-paced basis
secondary learning, if students allowing for direct entry into the throughout the three high school welding
desired. our district workforce with the skills needed to fill the courses. They then complete the certificate
is also fortunate to be local jobs. because of continued effort by all by taking a dual Credit technical math class
located in a manufac- parties involved, the welding facility at Kiel through the math department at Kiel high
turing-rich location, high school was expanded to 16 welders and school. dual credit course work has also
all of which help Kiel booths with brand new equipment to match expanded into other curricular areas offered
provide a plethora of lakeshore College equipment and require- by the tech ed department including indus-
opportunities for stu- ments. this expansion created a 1:1 student try 4.0 and Mechanical design. Many of the
dents, businesses, and to equipment ratio, allowing students to have students also pair the coursework with Youth
teachers. the equipment necessary to work through apprenticeship opportunities in many of the
the expansion of the program successfully and in a timely local companies.
the welding program manner. back in the 2019-20 school year the this program could not have been done
at Kiel high school program started small, with approximately with the efforts of just one person. it’s the
started back in the 10 students receiving one dual credit. it has partnership with our local businesses and
2018-19 school year slowly grown into the current program of technical colleges that help our school create
Tech Ed Department when one local company, amerequip, was 52 students during the 2024-25 school year and open doors for our students and their
School District of Kiel struggling to find welders to fill positions at who are working through various levels and future employees. We need to send out a
the school district of Kiel is located their manufacturing facility. they reached courses of the program, and it still shows big “thanks” to these businesses for helping
midway between lake Michigan, lake Win- out to the local high school and lakeshore continued interest and growth into the future. create these types of programs that allow for
nebago, Green bay, and Milwaukee serving College to see what they could do to fill our current welding program offers the continued growth of our students and
approximately 1250 students, K-12. the the gap in their personnel shortage. at the many dual credit opportunities through tech ed program here at Kiel high school.
district is located at the intersection of three meeting that was held, ideas were discussed lakeshore College which includes the
counties; Manitowoc, Calumet and sheboy- and the partnership between ameriquip, opportunity/potential for students to earn
Continued on page 36

new Mobile Manufacturing lab ready to Hit the road

• Programmable logic controller (PLC) meaning there are good jobs available.”
machines these jobs are available today with
• Fanuc robot trainers nearly 3,000 annual openings, and demand
• Hydraulic systems is projected to continue. according to
the Wisconsin department of Workforce
• AC/DC electrical trainers development, demand will grow more over
students can master 15 different the next 10 years in sheboygan and Mani-
industry-relevant skills in welding, quality towoc counties.
assurance, CNC machine tooling, and elec-
tro-mechanical systems. these and other lakeshore College delivers the lab
in-demand manufacturing skills can earn & instructors
workers good wages right from the start. lakeshore College provides instruc-
lakeshore area manufacturing workers in tors and delivers the mobile lab to the
2023 saw an entry wage of $17.75 per hour schools and businesses. technical edu-
with a median annual salary of $49,154. cation teachers, other educators, and
Funding for the lab was provided businesses interested in learning more
through a $1.64 million Workforce inno- about what lakeshore and the lab can offer
lakeshore College’s new mobile shows over 90% of respondents indicated vation Grant program, in cooperation with can visit gotoltc.edu/mobile-lab.
manufacturing lab is on its way to directly difficulty locating and acquiring talent. the Wisconsin economic development
impacting thousands of people, including lakeshore’s mobile lab helps address those Corporation and department of Workforce
high school students. how? Manufacturing concerns. development.
is the largest industry sector in lakeshore’s
community, providing nearly 24,000 jobs learning at school and the work- students, schools and employers
or 22% of total jobs. the lab is helping place makes it convenient all benefit
develop workforce-ready students and the mobile lab makes advanced manu- “We’re especially excited about
graduates for these jobs. facturing skills training and education more having schools host the lab and attracting
regional manufacturing employers accessible to high schools and businesses students who are interested in high-paying,
report a critical need to build a pipeline for throughout the lakeshore community. the stable career options,” says lucas dulmes,
advanced manufacturing technicians. the self-contained, climate-controlled lab can lakeshore’s associate dean of economic
Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing alli- be equipped with: development. “Most of the skills we can
ance (NeWMa) 2024 Vitality index study teach in the lab are hands-on and in-demand,