“ There aren ’ t many composites manufacturers in our area , so finding experienced people is challenging ,” McClure said . “ The biggest thing I look for is a positive attitude and interest in learning new things .”
This program will allow Unitech to hire individuals with desired attributes and teach them the foundational skills they need to succeed at the company . This , in turn , will enable Unitech to continue to grow with customer demand , while maintaining its reputation for quality and safety .
Constructing a Workforce for a Community
In 2018 , a colleague invited Wade Larson , Chief Human Resources Officer at industrial equipment manufacturer Wagstaff , Inc ., to attend a Spokane , Washington event showcasing a program designed to introduce students to careers in the utility industry . Part of Washington Governor Jay Inslee ’ s Career Connect initiative , the Avista Utilities program invited high school juniors and seniors to learn about careers within the energy industry through classroom and hands-on activities during the summer .
That event sparked the idea to do something similar for manufacturing , but Larson determined the project would be much larger than just a single company-sponsored event if it were to have maximum effect .
“ At Wagstaff , we make big stuff , but I quickly realized that this needed to be bigger than just us .”
Larson started reaching out to other local manufacturers , Career and Technical Education ( CTE ) contacts , and community partners to craft a full-experience program .
The result was a four-week-long manufacturing and production academy that launched in 2019 . Fifty upcoming high school students from Spokane and nearby school districts applied for 20 spots in the program during its first year where they were introduced to engineering , design , welding , production , assembly , sales , and management through hands-on learning .
At the academy , students are divided into teams and are then assigned to create , produce , and sell a particular product such as birdhouses or garden planters . As they work through the project , they take field trips to places like Hawk Ridge Systems where they produce 3D prototypes of their products or the East Valley High School shop where they ’ re allowed to test ideas ( and fail ) in a safe environment . They ’ re given guidance and instruction , but are allowed the space and encouragement to be creative and independent in their work .
56 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS