Marshalltown High School junior Jayden Woods, left, gets some advice on a milling machine from Chad Gile of Emerson/Fisher at MHS. Emerson/Fisher manufacturing programmers visit the machine metals class daily to mentor MHS students.
Marshalltown High School junior Jayden Woods wants to be a welder someday.
He doesn’t have to go too far to work with professionals in the manufacturing field. In fact they have been visiting his classroom daily as part of MHS teacher Chris Carroll’s machine metals class.
Emerson/Fisher manufacturing programmers visit the class daily to work with the students and bring in that real world expertise.
“It’s a good learning experience,” Woods said. “You learn from professionals.”
For valve manufacturer Emerson/Fisher, this partnership is not only a way to give back, it’s also a way to recruit workers in skilled trades, who are always in demand.
Steve Martin, director of human resources in manufacturing for Emerson/Fisher, said this is a way to recruit for their internship program and they also stress there are a variety of careers that go along with manufacturing, such as shipping, forklift operation, office staff and many other opportunities.
“Manufacturing brings all these opportunities for students,” Martin said.
Carroll said his students have been thriving as part of this partnership and are able to learn more about careers.
This partnership started this school year and Emerson/Fisher manufacturing programmer Josh Overstake has seen the growth in the students he mentors as a result.
“It’s neat to teach these kids a trade, have them working with their hands and show they can make a living at it if they choose,” Overstake said.
Marshalltown High School student Calvin Morrison, left, gets advice on an engine lathe from James Rasmussen of Emerson/Fisher.
