Area Schools, White Bear Lake
Area Educational Foundation,
Ramsey County, HIRED and local
manufacturing businesses. The
Specialty Manufacturing Company, Du
Fresne Manufacturing, Mold Craft, Inc.,
and Schwing America Inc., were the
original industry partners.
“Showing kids there are companies
all over their hometown in various
industries that are interested in
them is a great way to engage in
the community and have positive
reinforcement for both the students
and employees to know what to
expect when Gen Z enters the
workforce,” said Jon Tomaszewski,
Manufacturing Engineer for The
Specialty Manufacturing Company.
Pathways programs. At a recent
breakfast program, ten new employers
expressed interest in getting onboard
for the 2020 summer program, and
more are in the queue to get started.
Programming will eventually include
options beyond summer break to be
available throughout the school year,”
she said.
shared their surprise about feeling
welcomed and included in the group
he worked with. This shows the
difference it can make to open doors
for exposure to the industry and
provide opportunities for students to
explore careers in the workplace. It’s a
great investment in our future.”
“I love listening to the stories at the
closing events. One parent said he
enjoyed having new conversations
with his son about their different
experiences in the workplace. Another
student’s girlfriend talked about
something he made for her while in
the program, while other students
Justin McPhee, Vice President and
General Manager of Mold Craft, a
Northeast Metro company that design
and builds plastic injection molds
primarily for the medical industry
agrees. “Programs like this are
important to teach kids that there are
other opportunities besides a four-year
degree to become an engineer. I’m
not saying four year college is bad,
as I am a mechanical engineer from
North Dakota State University; but
manufacturing needs smart people
like engineers that like to work with
their hands and use machines to build
things. Our employees are problem
solvers. They are using their heads
every day to develop the next custom
mold that may save a life,” he said.
Other companies participating in the
manufacturing pathway partnership
include Cummins, LasX Industries,
Renstrom Dental Inc., Superior
Machine Inc., and Teamvantage.
Buerkle Car Campus, Fairway Collision
& Autobody and Walser Automotive
Group are part of the automotive
career pathway.
Cindy O’Donovan of the human
resources consulting firm Right4
Your Business serves as the project
coordinator for the two-year grant
program, which runs from 2019-2021.
She offered some insight into where
the program is going in 2020.
“Excitement is building as employer
and student participants talk about
their experience in the Career
Kajuan (KJ) Ramsey - WBL senior during Gen Z.
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