Snohomish High School students will leave behind World War II-era machining equipment and jump into the 21st century in the fall.
The Machining Pathway Partnership, a group of industry organizations that sees a need for more people in the machining field, is providing computer-based, state-of-the-art machining, programming and engineering design courses for students in Snohomish County.
The program is designed to allow high school students to earn credits toward a college degree, as well as receive credit toward journeyman machinist certification.
Snohomish High School will be the first high school in the county to benefit from the program, which this summer will fund the new computer-aided design programming and manufacturing lab.
Steve Cotterill, vocational education administrator at Snohomish High School, said that means the school will finally be able to move into the 21st century.
“For the most part, our equipment is expensive to run – some is even pre-World War II,” Cotterill said. “It’s incredibly difficult for a public school like this to upgrade the equipment.”
Cotterill said the school will have a new curriculum, a redesigned classroom, a new instructor, new software and state-of-the-art machining equipment, thanks to the corporate sponsors.
“It is hard for us to offer the level of classes we would like to offer students, because the equipment can only take them so far,” he said. “Now we will be able to take them so much further than ever before.”
Students also will have the opportunity to work after school at Damar Machine Co. to learn advanced machining and manufacturing skills.
The industry program is raising $400,000 to fund the new labs. The classrooms are scheduled to be gutted, remodeled and ready by the time school starts.
“We have already gotten some verbal commitments from people for financial support,” said Doug Roulstone, senior vice president of business development for Thomas James International, Damar’s parent company.
Roulstone said that in the next 10 years, about half the area’s current machinists will retire, and companies are going to have a tough time filling their positions.
“These jobs are needed by the industry right now. The lab comes at a great time,” Roulstone said. “This state-of-the-art lab is going to put Snohomish (High School) on the map nationally. This lab will not exist in another public high school in the United States.”
The same software used to design the Boeing 7E7 will be used in the lab, Roulstone said.
A public meeting on the labs and funding will be at 7 p.m. Monday in the training room at the Snohomish School District Resource Service Center, 1601 Ave. D in Snohomish.
Rin Causey, president of the Snohomish County Workforce Development Council, said her organization will help fund the new program.
“We currently see a skills gap in math, science and technology-related fields,” Causey said. “So we are investing in this effort to entice more people to become involved in the Machining Pathway.”
Causey said the council is also looking for additional funding to support the program over time.
“By investing in this program, people are investing in their own futures and the future of the workforce,” Causey said. “Students get an inside track in the profession, and it’s a great way for a company to look at you.”
Evan Caldwell: 425-339-3475 or ecaldwell@heraldnet.com
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