Region Two MELMAC Initiative Creates Opportunity for CTE Students’ Industry Visits
MELMAC Initiative Creates Opportunity for CTE Students’ Industry Visits
Region Two students visited two industries, last month, as part of their MELMAC Initiative to aspire students to take advantage of post-secondary education and industry opportunities in their Career and Technical Education (CTE) trades.
An eclectic blend of Forestry, Welding and Auto Body students were accompanied by Instructors on a tour of Louisiana Pacific (L.P.) in New Limerick and welcomed by Human Resources Manager, Ryan Bushey. He went over the history of the company and introduced his management team, who shared their personal journeys which led to their employment at L.P. The students were then escorted on a tour throughout the facility and treated to pizza for lunch.
That same afternoon, when school was over, two vans full of students from Welding, Auto Body, and Auto Tech. classes headed down the highway with Instructors Ammie London and Bo Zabierek to Newport Industrial Fabrications, a leader in bridge and public transportation manufacturing which is growing by leaps and bounds. Students were met by owner, Dan Gerry, who greeted the students and introduced members of the Manufacturing Association of Maine (MAM) which helped organized the open house event between shifts at the facility.
Newport Industrial Fabrication, Inc. (NIF) was incorporated in 1997. The company has grown from a handful of key team members into a three-shift operation with full-time quality control, detailing and project management departments.
NIF specializes in custom metal fabrications. Their level of skill, size and flexibility allow them to supply a wide range of cost effective and on schedule products. They have supplied custom shoring, formwork, and access platforms to many large construction projects from Maine to Virginia. NIF can also put on the finishing touches in their new sophisticated paint facility.
NIF pride themselves in their ability to work as a team. The entire company meets to discuss safety, quality, and production issues at the beginning of each week. Each team member is looking for a way to make our customers and our company more competitive. They have the experience and the equipment to get the job done.
The students toured the facility and met with other industry and governmental partners that were present including State Senator Andre Cushing III, Brian Mulligan from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), and Maine Association of Manufacturers Executive Director, Lisa Martin.
Region Two Instructor, Ammie London, and Welding student, Cody Lassonde, were the lucky door prize winners of plasma cut artwork that was performed as a demonstration to the students on NIF’s newest piece of manufacturing equipment, a $250,000.00 CNC Computer-operated Plasma Cutter.
The team of CTE students paused for refreshments and a parting photo with the owner before boarding the vans for the ride back to “the County”.