From left to right, front row: Jack Pendergast, Bela Larsen, Talley Kohler,
Stella Cotner; back row: Taylor Nelson, Carl Swanson, Kyle Anderson,
Career Pathways Navigator Jeremy Kerg, Grant Unger
I
n July 2018, a class of eight White
Bear Lake High School Manufacturing
Pathways students were honored for
the successful completion of their paid,
summer internships with eight Northeast
Metro Industry Partners (manufacturing
firms).
technology in food packaging and
warehouse organization. Also noteworthy:
The 2018 class benefited from an online
OSHA 10 training course. The 10-hour
Students were closely supervised
and mentored in a wide variety of
manufacturing components that
complemented, in some respects, their
high school classes, including: CAD
design and programming, machining,
milling electrodes, injection molding,
3D printing, basic engineering, quality
control, CNC manufacturing, laser
course provides general awareness on
primary safety and health matters and is
highly valued by employers.
In January 2018, Vadnais Heights
Economic Development Corporation
(VHEDC) received the Partnership
Award by the Economic Development
Association of Minnesota (EDAM)
for GenZ Connection. One of the
program’s partners, Ramsey County,
was instrumental in facilitating changes
to Minnesota Child Labor Laws that
prohibited individuals under the age of
18 from working on a manufacturing floor
with the type of machinery used by the
Industry Partners.
NORTHEAST METRO INDUSTRY PARTNERS
Mold Craft, SCHWING America and
The Specialty Mfg. Co. were returning
Industry Partners from the inaugural
GenZ Connections year (2017). Mold
Craft – a 2018 financial investor, in
addition to Comcast and VHEDC – made
funds available through a grant from
the American Mold Builders Association
(AMBA). Additionally, White Bear Lake Area
Educational Foundation provided funding
for steel-toed work boots for all student
participants.
Mold Craft: Located in Willernie; offers
complete injection mold manufacturing
services ranging from design to
prototyping to tooling.
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Northeast Metro Business
SCHWING America: Located in
White Bear Township; a manufacturer
and distributor of premium concrete
production and handling equipment.
The Specialty Mfg. Co.: Located
in White Bear Lake; specialists in
manufacturing metal and plastic valves
that are essential components for a wide
range of applications.
Superior Machine: Located in White Bear
Lake; provides high quality CNC machined
parts for the medical, technology,
motorsports, aerospace and specialty
machine building industries.
Renstrom Dental Studios: Located
in Vadnais Heights; an advanced,
comprehensive dental lab.
Pace Industries: Located in Arden Hills;
an integrated company that provides
quality die casting, manufacturing and
engineering solutions worldwide.
LasX: Located in White Bear Lake; designs,
manufactures and installs complete laser
system solutions built to specification.
Teamvantage: Located in Forest Lake;
a custom contract manufacturer and
injection molder.