Page 12 - TTMNFallWinter2025

Manufacturing
Page 12 Electronic Edition: www.teachingtodaymn.com

Bluejacket AMP: A Pathway to Advanced Manufacturing Careers

Minnesota Department of Labor and Indus- connect classroom learning to real-world
try’s Youth Skills Training (YST) Program, applications.
the Bluejacket AMP will equip students with At the core of Bluejacket AMP is a
marketable skills, industry-recognized cer- commitment to strong partnerships between
tifications, and real-world work experience Cambridge-Isanti High School and local
through collaborations with local manufactur- manufacturing businesses. These partnerships
ing employers. ensure students gain practical experience,
industry-specific skills, and exposure to a wide
Preparing Students for the Future of Work range of career opportunities.
In line with our Strategic Priority of These partnerships are vital to building
Ensuring student academic growth and the next generation of skilled professionals and
success, Bluejacket AMP is designed to ensuring the long-term success of the program.
prepare students for in-demand careers by We are actively seeking additional manufactur-
offering: ers to join us in shaping the future workforce. As
• Industry Tours: Students will visit local a partner in Bluejacket AMP, your business will:
manufacturing businesses to see advanced • Help students develop industry-specific
technology and processes in action. and professional skills.
• Career Spotlight Events: Employers will • Build a pipeline of talented, motivated
share insights about their work and the future employees.
opportunities available in their industries. • Receive guidance and support from The
• Paid Internships: Students will gain valu- Repurposed Educators, ensuring impact-
Cambridge-Isanti Schools (AMP) in the 2025-26 school year. This innova- able hands-on experience working with ful mentorship and supervision.
As part of our commitment to expand- tive initiative directly aligns with our strategic approved manufacturing employers.
ing Career and Technical Education (CTE) plan to equip students with the skills and expe- • Certifications: Students will complete
programming, Cambridge-Isanti High School rience necessary to thrive in the high-demand the OSHA 10 Certification, ensuring they
(CIHS) is excited to announce the launch of the field of advanced manufacturing. are trained in workplace safety. www.c-ischools.org
Bluejacket Advanced Manufacturing Program Thanks to a generous grant from the • Seminar Classes: Weekly classes will

Saints Comes Marching In Continued from Page 10
what I’ve learned here, I feel confident going know what to expect. Every project has its last year by meeting with some state repre- students are learning problem solving, project
into that work,” he says. own needs, timeline, materials, and workflow. sentatives, but the legislative session ended management, collaboration, and communica-
Another student, 16-year-old Jesse Because of that, they need to learn how to before that proposal could get enough trac- tion. They’re seeing that it pays to be detail
Deschenes, is also following in his siblings’ handle as much of that as possible, and that’s tion. oriented and aware of budgets.”
path with Saints Manufacturing. All four of his what we provide.” He’s still hopeful to continue those A 2023 report called “Minnesota’s Van-
older brothers have been in the program and A unique aspect of production is that they conversations and get a new law passed ishing Workforce” by analytics firm Lightcast,
the oldest is now a machinist, he says. don’t have contracts with MnDOT, he adds, this year, because he believes the ability to in partnership with the Minnesota Business
“I heard about this program for years they have purchase orders. That’s an impor- tie a scholarship or grant to a manufactur- Partnership, concluded that the state is expe-
before I was able to take it, so I needed to tant distinction because a contract usually ing program like this will continue to spur riencing profound demographic changes that
try it out for myself to see if it was as enjoy- stipulates a deadline. While Saints does interest not just in the program itself but also will alter the composition of its workforce in
able as others made it sound,” he says. “It deliver work promptly, imposing a timeframe in manufacturing and skilled trades. Also, it the years ahead. Most notably, Minnesota’s
wasn’t long into my first year that I knew wouldn’t be in keeping with the instructional will provide a reward for students who are population will age more rapidly between
I wanted to come back; there’s so much to nature of the program. already putting in the work and go beyond 2020 and 2030 than during any other period,
learn. There’s a reason kids talk about it the “If something unexpected happens, we just academic credit. emphasizing the need for younger, skilled
way they do.” stop the class and talk about it so the students “My focus is to get kids into this program workers to come in as they retire.
What both students appreciate most is can understand and work through the issue,” and create other programs,” he says. “When The report suggests that increasing
similar to what Grutkoski praised: a well- Trost says. “At the end of the day, this is a they hear about the potential of a grant or the opportunities to learn new skills will be
rounded strategy that makes all aspects of class and these are students, and their educa- scholarship, maybe they’ll see that this is crucial, and Saints Manufacturing is showing
manufacturing transparent. A whiteboard in tion is the most important priority.” worth looking at. At the very least, it might what that looks like, one graduating class at
the main classroom area displays the dollar lead someone to consider machining and man- a time.
amount of their current purchase orders — in Next Steps ufacturing who may not have thought about it “This program is as much about foster-
early September, that was $163,978 — and In the same way that Trost envisioned a before.” ing employability as it is about fundamentals
they know every penny will go back into the larger and more comprehensive manufacturing Another step might be for Trost to offer in machining or welding,” Trost says. “We’re
program to buy more equipment to keep Saints program at a high school, he also hopes the workshops similar to the one he attended at proud and excited to keep this going because
Manufacturing going strong. legislature will change laws to allow schools Cardinal Manufacturing — bringing in other it represents the next generation of skilled pro-
When they graduate, they’ll know how to award scholarships or grants to students schools in Minnesota that might benefit from fessionals.”
to operate every machine, but they’ll also from the money the program generates. starting a similar program. That would provide Courtesy of Enterprise Minnesota. Reprinted
have insight into being a foreman, as well as “Right now, in Minnesota, you can’t pay more opportunities for getting young people with permission.
estimating, deadlines, common production a student for the type of work we’re doing into the skilled trades and help with workforce
problems, labor costs, and delivery. because the revenue is coming in through the development, says McDonald.
“This is project-based learning, and the district,” he says. “My goal since day one is “Saints Manufacturing is a model that
beautiful thing is that we never know what’s to get students paid in the form of a scholar- should be followed by more schools because
coming next, so it feels real in terms of work ship or grant, but that will require getting the the skills these students learn aren’t just appli- www.isd15.org
experience,” Trost says. “The students don’t laws changed.” Trost made some headway cable to one type of job,” he adds. “These