Mid-State Technical College celebrated its fifth cohort of the Metal Mania summer program graduates in a special ceremony on July 26 on the Wisconsin Rapids Campus. 

The six completers have earned the Metal Mania: Turning Machines local certificate and five college credits toward Mid-State’s Precision Machining Technician technical diploma as well as the Haas Basic Lathe Operator certificate. This year’s cohort was free to participants due to funding provided by the Gene Haas Foundation Scholarship.

“The Metal Mania graduates have put in a lot of work this summer to earn their Metal Mania: Turning Machines local certificate and we are so proud of their accomplishments,” said Carly Lee, college outreach coordinator. “The Metal Mania training program is a great way for students to get a head start in the Precision Machining Technician program and to see what the field of machining is like.” 

According to Lee, two of this summer’s Metal Mania graduates will continue their education in the Precision Machining Technician program this fall.

Metal Mania is comprised of three classes: Safety, Measurement and Layout, Introduction to Turning Machines and CNC Lathes Set Up and Operation. These courses are the foundation to starting a career in the field of machining. Machinists create parts for use in manufacturing, and each one must be nearly perfect, making this a great career for those with attention to detail and mechanical aptitude.

Learn more about the Precision Machining Technician program at mstc.edu/programs.