AWARD-WINNING
White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation provided funds for steel-toe construction boots for the Gen Z interns . WBLAEF Executive Director Dawn Hank is far right .
A TESTIMONY TO COLLABORATION
In January 2018 , Vadnais Heights Economic Development Corporation ( VHEDC ) received the Partnership Award by the Economic Development Association of Minnesota ( EDAM ) for the Gen Z Connection : Skills and Careers in Manufacturing program . Megan Barnett- Livgard , EDAM President and GREATER MSP Business Retention and Expansion Manager says , “ The Gen Z Connection program is a perfect example of how great success can be created when engaged partners and stakeholders come together with a common goal . The group showed strength in collaboration and worked together for an impressive outcome that will benefit not only eager students , but the manufacturing industry , as well .”
The Gen Z Connection program – launched the summer of 2017 – is a collaborative partnership between VHEDC , White Bear Lake Area Schools , White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation , Ramsey County , HIRED and local manufacturing businesses : Du Fresne Manufacturing , Mold Craft , SCHWING America and The Specialty Mfg . Co .
The VHEDC received the 2017 Economic Development Association of Minnesota Partnership Award at EDAM ’ s 2018 Winter Conference , held mid-January . VHEDC received this award on behalf of the partners of the Gen Z Connections : Careers and Skills in Manufacturing project which provided paid , handson learning in manufacturing businesses in the local area . VHEDC Executive Director Ling Becker stated upon receiving the award , “ We accept this award proudly on behalf of our partners – Du Fresne Manufacturing , Mold Craft , SCHWING America and The Specialty Mfg . Co . They are to be commended for their commitment to build a future workforce . In addition , there were other essential partners , including : White Bear Lake School District , Ramsey County , HIRED and the White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation . This award truly represents what it means to be a community .”
Nearly three years in the making , the program began with a significant challenge : ensuring that high school students could gain hands-on manufacturing skills through paid internships . Minnesota Child Labor Laws prohibit individuals under the age of 18 from working on the manufacturing floor with most machines used by the partnering businesses . Meetings and conversations between the school district ’ s Career Pathways Navigator and the Minnesota Department of Education and Department of Labor and Industry began in May 2015 .
The process of reviewing and revising Minnesota ’ s Child Labor laws – which included comparison to other states ’ laws – involved time , monetary investment and effort by many of the aforementioned partners . Eventually , with guarantees that certain requirements would be met the laws were revised so that the Gen Z Connection students could work on machines 20 percent of the time they are working , which is the federal maximum .
The first Gen Z Connection interns – Aaron Purdham , Charlie Rupprecht , Ryan Benert and Karl Stein – worked a total of 90 hours ( each ), $ 10 / hour , for four weeks , rotating through each of the four business partners . Ramsey County “ employed ” the students part-time , and their wages and workers ’ compensation were funded by VHEDC – a significant partner of the White Bear Lake Area School District ’ s Manufacturing Pathway program since it began in 2015 . The VHEDC Board of Directors approved
40 Vadnais Heights Business Guide & Community Profile