LARWILL – The launch of ManufacturED, a new initiative aimed at bridging the gap between high school education and real-world industry practices, was announced Monday at Whitko Career Academy.
Chris Benedict, WCA director, said Whitko Community Schools, Smith-Green Community Schools and Whitley County Consolidated Schools signed a memorandum of understanding in January to create the Whitley County CTE Cooperative to provide extended learning opportunities for students in career technical education.
Benedict said he has no doubt the MOU played a deciding factor for C & A Tool Engineering, Micropulse Inc. and Paragon/Ametek Medical to “agree with this venture.”
OrthoWorx “invited us two years ago to begin brainstorming ideas” on how to make connections with local business leaders and educators to develop learning opportunities for students embedded with industry leader-led, hands-on experiences that would culminate in a work-based learning internship for high school students, he said.
“Our team of educators and business leaders are committed to work together to bring awareness to students about the immense possibilities of careers available in the world of machining and manufacturing. The collaboration will provide our students with an authentic, real-world experience that combines educational curriculum, business application to the precision machining and manufacturing industry,” he said.
The ManufacturED program is a two-year program within the precision machining department that will be offered starting in the 2025-26 school year. Benedict said students will apply and be selected based on academic criteria and an interview process. Twelve students will be part of the pilot program.
In the first year of the program, which will be the student’s junior year, Benedict said students will spend four days a week working with project-based curriculum and one day a week with a team of business specialists to work on projects at the WCA machining area lab on a rotation basis. Each quarter, students will be able to visit business partners’ facilities and see the manufacturing process in the real world.

    The launch of ManufacturED was announced at Whitko Career Academy Monday. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union
  

The second year of the program will include a work-based learning opportunity from one of the local business partners.
“This commitment from our business leaders is unprecedented and allows them to have a vested interested and hopefully build a lifelong employee that is dedicated their mission and their vision within their company,” Benedict said.
Sean Miller, chief commercial officer for Paragon Medical/Ametek, said, “Our world is built on machinists and operators in this space.”
Miller said they’re excited to partner with a program that can really dive into the next generation and go in there and engage them in what manufacturing really is.

    Pictured is one of the machines in the Whitko Career Academy machining lab. Photo by Jackie Gorski, Times-Union
  

Josh Monesmith, president of Micropulse Inc., said whenever Micropulse hears about any type of program or an opportunity to help develop the youth and the next generation of the workforce, the company generally tries to jump on the opportunity. When Micropulse heard about the ManufacturED program, Micropulse decided they wanted to be part of it.
He said it’s a great facility and he’s excited to work with the other companies.
Todd Rehrer, vice president of operations with C & A Tool Engineering, said from a business perspective, it’s their responsibility to make sure to encourage young people to see what tools they have available to them and what they can do with manufacturing equipment. It’s also important to partner and continue to bring in young people so they know what they can do with the manufacturing equipment and, more importantly, graduate and launch into a career.