SCHOLARSHIPS AND FOUNDATION

Max was inspired to join the manufacturing industry by his grandfather who was a welder. “It wasn’t really a class that was a defining moment for my career, but it was a teacher. My high school shop teacher Mr. Danielson told me about Mold-Tech and their apprenticeship program.” Max is most excited to learn CNC programming, as he believes those are the most marketable skills to have as a machinist.

As an upcoming college student from Andover High School who has spent the past year as a veterinary hospital kennel assistant, Mena has a wide range of ideas and big plans for her career path. Both of Mena’s parents work in the trades, so her interest to carry on in the same area of work was sparked at an early age. When Mena reached middle school and high school, she found a passion for manufacturing through programs such as shop class, tinkering class, and programming. These programs led her to the machining program at Hennepin Technical College, where she plans to finish her degree and start her career path. And in the midst of it all, she will continue to utilize her skills in American Sign Language and pursue a license to become an official American Sign Language Interpreter.

Emily learned about welding at the Boy Scouts National Jamboree in 2017 and immediately fell in love. She is wrapping up the welding program at Dunwoody, where her instructors say she is one of the most dedicated, hard-working students. What makes Emily even more unique in our industry is that she is on the Autistic Spectrum. “Dunwoody is helping me find a career that works well with my learning styles.” Emily was one of the top-scoring candidates to win an MPMA scholarship this year. She is interested in continuing to build her skillsets by learning machining next.

Growing up in Winona, MN, Brad observed his dad’s commitment to innovation and design in his role at Badger Equipment. This example gave him an appreciation for the process of identifying a problem and finding a solution to meet it, especially as it related to cars. Brad enrolled at Winona Southeast Technical College in 2011 and soon received his Auto Body Collision certification. Over the years he’s worked several manufacturing jobs and has grown familiar with welding and hand-crafted metals, as well as CNC machines. At the age of 28, Brad decided to go back to school to get his Associate’s degree at Winona Southeast Technical College in Computer-Aided Design. Currently, he works for Wicka Concrete as a Concrete Laborer and Finisher and enjoys the daily opportunity to become a more versatile worker while increasing his knowledge of the building process.