Page 6 - TTMNFallWinter2025

Manufacturing
Page 6 Electronic Edition: www.teachingtodaymn.com

scramble to grab their backpacks and books teach welding, cutting, grinding, and other
when the school bell rings. skills. It also had a chopper program that
That’s because Saints Manufacturing taught students how to disassemble and repair
is a class that’s part of a workforce develop- motorcycles, says Erik Trost, director of the
ment program at St. Francis High School in manufacturing program at the school. But
St. Francis, Minn., a modest farm town with soon after he began teaching there in 2012, he
a population around 8,000 that sits 45 minutes felt there needed to be a major change.
north of Minneapolis. While the school offers “It didn’t seem like the skills being
traditional courses like welding and metal taught were very transferable to what students
tech, the manufacturing program provides a might need after graduation,” he says. “While
breadth of skills that go far beyond how to use some of it could be helpful for moving on to
each machine properly. vocational and technical college afterward, it
“We learn how to run a manufacturing just seemed like a missed opportunity not to
project from all angles, including how to talk give these students more of a head start. They
to vendors about materials, what goes into needed a comprehensive education that could
an estimate, how to determine labor costs, open them up to more career paths.”
and how to manage workflow with multiple The St. Francis staff significantly
orders,” says Maggie Grutkoski, 17, a senior. reconfigured the overall program in 2016.
“Juggling so many components of manufac- Entry-level courses consist of general metals,
turing a product from start to finish can be metal tech, and welding. For those wishing to
stressful, but that shows us what it’s like to move on to the next level, there’s a machine
do this kind of job. I think that’s really valu- tool class. Students who have completed all
able, because we’ll graduate knowing what to those classes can join Saints Manufacturing.
A very profitable high school manufacturing program in St. Francis is
expect, not just if we go into manufacturing, About 300 students annually enroll in those
likely to be a model for other schools to follow. but in whatever career we might choose. You entry-level courses and machine tooling, Trost
learn to collaborate and be a problem solver.” says, but only about 17 to 24 students get to
By Elizabeth Millard the other side. In between you’ll find numer- work for Saints each year.
The production floor at Saints Manufac- ous lathes, vertical mills, CNC plasma cutters, Building the Program The idea for such a high-level program
turing is in line with other entrepreneurial, and other equipment. But this isn’t a scrappy Founded in 1914, St. Francis High came from the Eleva-Strum school district
small manufacturers: Along one wall are mul- startup that’s challenging larger manufactur- School has had a metalworking shop for
tiple welding stations, with three CNC mills on ers. In this workplace, the skilled operators decades, similar to many high schools that Continued on Page 10

Learning by Doing Continued from Page 4

and it has taken some time to get it up and labor laws. Now, high school juniors and
running,” says Vern Schnathorst, teacher seniors can experience hands-on opportuni-
and school-to-work program coordinator. ties with safety guards in place,” says Rebecca
“Through the horticultural company and other Kounkel, Monticello High School career path-
local businesses, we are offering our high ways coordinator/YST internship coordinator.
school students unmatched opportunities to “Through our CTE offerings, we are able to
grow a manufacturing-based career right here provide early career exposure in a variety of
in the Detroit Lakes area.” opportunities with support on every level from
writing the resume, applying, interviewing,
ISD 882: Monticello and safety certifications to learning how to
The Monticello school district has about speak to your boss, when to take breaks, and
16 businesses that provide internships, but how to work with a difficult co-worker.”
budget challenges have kept some companies
from taking on paid interns. Pathways to the future
The district also offers internships and “Mainstreet in rural to urban commu-
a variety of career exploration opportuni- nities is strengthened by manufacturing,”
ties through high school courses, as well as says Bob Kill, president and CEO of Enter-
the Wright Technical Center, the last of its prise Minnesota. “In Minnesota, 11% of the
kind in the state of Minnesota. Their state workforce is in manufacturing, which drives
Forest Lake Area High School students at the University of Minnesota’s 2024 Inspire Conference.
grant enables Monticello to provide career 14-14.5% of the state’s payroll. And we can all
CTE internship program — students and the niche. Some may not have even known these opportunities in health care, teach CPR/first- see that the economic strength of our commu-
community will benefit!” says Amy Lord, a jobs existed in their communities prior to this aid certification courses, a CAN course, and nities and businesses is dependent on students’
program coordinator. program.” a couple of CIS medial related courses. This understanding that Minnesota manufacturing
“We truly support students as they explore has diversified their internship opportunities offers strong, diverse career opportunities in
diverse career paths, identify their strengths, ISD 22: Detroit Lakes in health care, manufacturing, and other indus- manufacturing and pathways to the future.”
and build essential employability and techni- In 2016, Detroit Lakes established an tries. Today schools, technical colleges,
cal skills,” continues Lord. “Internships are academy model to expose students to high- The Wright Technical Center provides chambers of commerce, and the Minnesota
invaluable. They boost student confidence, demand and high-paying jobs in the area. career, technical, and alternative education for Department of Labor and Industry are creating
foster valuable mentor relationships, and They have added a program in plant sciences students across eight schools in Wright County. early and enticing opportunities for students
provide real-world experience that helps stu- and greenhouse management that supports Located in Buffalo, the school offers experien- to learn about a variety of high-paying, high-
dents determine the necessary certifications or a strong student interest to work at a leading tial and individualized learning opportunities need, and high-growth career opportunities in
education for their future success. While some horticultural company, one of the largest local for students on a variety of career paths from manufacturing.
students may discover that a particular intern- manufacturers. health care to automotive and manufacturing. Courtesy of Enterprise Minnesota. Reprinted
ship isn’t the right fit, others will find their “This is the 15th year of our program, “Prior to the CTE program, students with permission
couldn’t work in many positions due to child