All steel Fabrications.
An outdated, but persistent, stigma is often attached to manufacturing work. Thoughts of the early 20th century’s dark and dirty industrial jobs conjure images of dangerous conditions and difficult labor, convincing many to steer clear of manufacturing careers in pursuit of four-year college degrees.
That perception, however, is far from the reality at JR Machine. The manufacturer offers rewarding, multifaceted work in a brightly-lit, clean facility equipped with automation and robotic technology.
Increasing awareness about the industry’s high-tech reality takes outreach, and JR Machine is at the forefront of eradicating the “dirty job” stigma. The manufacturer recently teamed up with Bonduel High School’s tech ed department to modernize its industrial arts program and drive interest among students.
JR Machine has been connected with the department for many years, providing shop tours to its students. However, as the company (and its need for skilled employees) has grown, so too has its support.
“One of our biggest challenges is finding employees with technical aptitude and the right work ethic,” said Tim Tumanic, president of JR Machine. “Unfortunately, it seems with all of the tight budgets for schools, the industrial arts programs are the first to be hit with cuts and are completely strapped for resources.”
This chronic lack of funding is what spurred JR Machine to support the Shawano and, most recently, Bonduel industrial arts programs on an annual basis. Since 2013, JR Machine has given about $150,000 in equipment, tooling, materials and textbooks, with the hope its investment gets students excited about STEM-focused career paths.
And what is exciting and motivating students most these days?
Travis Schindel, a technology engineering teacher at Bonduel High School says, “In this video game era, it’s the technology.”
Donation and development drive JR Machine’s two-fold approach. It’s installed new CNC equipment and supported the creation of a new CNC lab at Bonduel High School. Students are now getting practical experience that can be applied to a variety of jobs and degree programs, thanks to the state-of-the-art Haas CNC mill and lathe.
“We looked to mimic JR’s facilities in our lab, making it clean, neat, and bright—so students understand manufacturing isn’t a dirty profession,” said Schindel.