what ’ s working
Manufacturing to Mars and Beyond
From composites to computer chips , Washington-made products are literally out of this world .
Brian Mittge
AWB ’ s sixth-annual Manufacturing Week bus tour highlighted all sorts of innovative items made in the Evergreen State and focused on the equally innovative education and workforce development work being done to help tomorrow ’ s workers successfully step into the high-paying jobs available in these modern manufacturing shop floors .
At A Glance
The 2022 Manufacturing Week bus tour kicked off Oct . 6 and concluded Oct . 13 . Along the way AWB visited nearly all the finalists for the 2022 Manufacturing Excellence Awards .
AWB visited 29 shop floors and training sites . The sites ranged from Skagit County and the Palouse to Vancouver and Spokane Valley . Some of the businesses were small and family-owned ; others are global companies with major footprints in Washington .
Employers continue to face difficulty finding skilled workers , but some are working in innovative ways with their local high schools and community colleges to bring workforce education onto the shop floor .
www . MFGisWA . org
Manufacturing isn ’ t just about building things . It ’ s about building lives . Ask Michael Curran , who before he even graduated from high school was hired by Goodwinds
Composites upon the recommendation of his school ’ s aerospace teacher .
Seven years later he has continued his education , paid for by his employer , at Skagit Valley Community College ( studying composites ) and Western Washington University for a polymer materials degree .
“ I love working with the material ,” Curran told AWB during an October workday at the bright , open factory floor at Goodwinds Composites in Mount Vernon , a company founded by the brothersister duo of Leland Holeman and Amelia Cook in 2008 .
“ Me working here was not an accident ,” Curran said . “ It was very much on purpose . I wanted to work in composites . I want to move past my basic level of knowledge and design some cool stuff . I want to innovate . I want a deep understanding of composites .”
On the other side of the company ’ s building , Riley Dunn was working on a CNC mill . A five-year employee of Goodwinds Composites , he ’ s taking the company up on its offer of ongoing training through the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Council . “ They pay for my schooling ,” Dunn said . “ That ’ s pretty cool .” He worked on making carbon composite tubes that were used on the NASA helicopter that flew on Mars . When Gov . Jay Inslee sent him a letter thanking him for that work , Dunn posted it to Instagram .
22 association of washington business