Mequon, WI, April 12, 2017 – 18 Technical Education Students from Chilton High School in Chilton, Wisconsin, had the opportunity to learn about careers in Advanced Manufacturing on Wednesday April 5, 2017 when, accompanied by their Technical Education Teacher Ethan Fritz, they visited two cutting-edge businesses in Southeastern Wisconsin.
Pindel Global Precision’s CNC, Tooling and Engineering Manager Steve Katzer describes precision machining technology to a group of Chilton High School Students
The day began with an in-depth tour of New Berlin, Wisconsin’s Pindel Global Precision (Pindel), a global provider of precision machined parts for a variety of industries.
Company owner and chief executive Bill Berrien caught the students’ immediate attention when he kicked off the tour of PINDEL’s two plants by comparing the camaraderie and teamwork his team experiences in manufacturing to the sense of the same he felt during his days as a U.S. Navy SEAL.
“There are so many great career opportunities in advanced manufacturing,” said Berrien. “We are proud of what we do at Pindel Global Precision. What a treat to be able to share all of this with a great group of students from Chilton.”
The tour, led by members of the Pindel team, continued with demonstrations of the sophisticated software used by PINDEL to design the machining processes that ultimately turn raw materials into precisely machined components followed by an opportunity for the students to learn more about the company’s modern equipment, including Swiss turning machines, CNC lathes and machining centers, multi-spindle screw machines and single-spindle screw machines.
Pindel’s Machining Capabilities include many machining centers utilizing FANUC Controls.
The group then traveled to the LAB Midwest Tech Center in Mequon, WI. LAB Midwest provides the curriculum, eLearning and training equipment used by educators to prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing, industry and STEM.
Chilton High School Student Matt Moehn fine tunes his welding skills using a Lincoln Electric virtual reality welding trainer at the LAB Midwest Tech Center in Mequon, WI.
Among many other products, LAB Midwest is the exclusive educational reseller of FANUC in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Upper Michigan.
President Matt Kirchner presented the results of a study the company performed that identified the top industrial career opportunities.
Students then tried their hands at training technologies such as virtual welding, heavy equipment operation and even received a demonstration of a learning tool that creates a 3D hologram in the middle of the classroom.
Opened in 2016, the company’s Mequon, Wisconsin Tech Center is available by appointment to groups interested in learning more about careers in STEM and advanced manufacturing.
LAB Midwest’s Business Development Executive Mike Dietrich assisted the students as they utilized these cutting edge learning tools. An experienced public school teacher who joined the LAB Midwest team in 2016, Dietrich relies on his experience in the education realm during tours such as the one on April 5th. “LAB Midwest is on a mission to help America resolve the skills gap in manufacturing and a key part of this mission is exposing young people to rewarding career pathways in industry. We really appreciated the opportunity to share this important goal with the students from Chilton High School,” Dietrich said.
