The seventh annual North Central Wisconsin “Heavy Metal Bus Tour” has again given thousands of eighth-grade students from across central and northern Wisconsin firsthand experience with manufacturing facilities and one of three technical colleges. Locally, Mid-State Technical College hosted lunch for over 1,600 touring students at its campuses during the event on Oct. 3, 2018. The students also tested their new knowledge about manufacturing careers and technical college options during an interactive game on the Kahoot platform.

A collaboration between the North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board, Central Wisconsin Metal Manufacturer’s Alliance (CWIMMA) and three technical colleges, including Mid-State, the event includes tours of high-tech manufacturing facilities to showcase educational and career opportunities in the area’s welding, fabricating, machining, engineering and manufacturing trades.

“According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wisconsin ranks second in the nation for manufacturing jobs in the last year, and our Wisconsin industry partners continue to report an ongoing shortage of people entering the workforce with the skills needed for today’s high-tech, automated manufacturing,” said Mid-State’s dean of Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering Al Javoroski. “The Heavy Metal Bus Tour offers a unique way for the next generation of college students to explore these high-paying career opportunities available close to home.”

Having reached over 20,000 students since 2011, the Heavy Metal Bus Tour is the largest of its kind in the United States. The 2018 tour featured participation from 27 regional manufacturers, 24 of which are local.