Hancock, MI - The Copper Country Intermediate School District’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Welding and Manufacturing program recently hosted a collaborative event with Great Lakes Sound and Vibration (GLSV) and Lincoln Electric, demonstrating the power of community partnerships in advancing technical education and industry practices.
Jeff Van Karsen, Chief Operating Officer at GLSV and a valued member of the CTE program's advisory committee, initiated this collaboration. Aware that the CTE Welding and Manufacturing program had Lincoln Electric STT (Surface Tension Transfer) welding machine technology, Jeff saw an opportunity to explore its application for specialized weld procedures at GLSV.
Peter Murr, CTE Welding and Manufacturing Instructor and Certified Weld Inspector (CWI) welcomed GLSV and Lincoln Electric technical staff to the CTE weld shop. "We were more than happy to reciprocate assistance to one of our industry partners by hosting Lincoln Electric and helping to facilitate this learning opportunity," Murr stated. "Jeff had originally asked if we would consider allowing Lincoln Electric to demonstrate STT welding capabilities on equipment that we happened to already have at the Copper Country ISD Career Tech Center."
GLSV welding and production staff could try the Lincoln Electric Power Wave 300C advanced machine utilizing STT technology on some sample parts they brought in. This was to see if the technology would apply to the manufacturing needs at GLSV. "At the same time, GLSV and Lincoln Electric allowed our instructional staff and students to participate in the demonstrations," Murr added. "So, I look at it as a win-win in terms of education for not only our students but also our industry partners, which is what CTE is all about."
Jeff Van Karsen appreciated the collaboration, stating, "Our relationship with CTE has been very special for GLSV. We value being able to help provide opportunities to local students looking to further their skills in the welding trade. We are fortunate to have several CTE alumni on staff at GLSV. The program has done a great job preparing these students to hit the ground running."
He continued, "We also look forward to continuing our partnership with the CCISD through CTE Work-Based Learning (WBL) opportunities we have established for next year with second-year students from both the CTE Mechatronics and the CTE Welding and Manufacturing programs. Thank you to Joe Zerbst, CCISD WBL Coordinator, for helping us identify students who would be a good fit for our organization and, more importantly, for our organization being a good fit for the students."
Van Karsen concluded, "Thank you again to CTE for allowing us to test some new welding techniques. We also appreciated the opportunity to interface with some current CTE students."
This collaboration highlights the significance of partnerships between educational institutions and local businesses, offering students mutual benefits and real-world learning experiences. The Copper Country ISD CTE program is committed to building industry connections that enhance educational opportunities and support local workforce development.