Page 4 - TTWINov2020

Manufacturing
page 4 | Manufacturing Today Wisconsin | fall, 2020 Electronic Edition: www.manufacturingtodaywi.com

Bay link Manufacturing gives Students ‘real World’ Experience in

the Manufacturing Industry

manufacturing and engi-
neering. They may also “This girl Can” Workshop Series Aims to
be prepared to enter the
workforce in an entry-level Engage girls in STEM fields
position.
®
This student-run The Bay Link Manufacturing program Students receive high school credit as well
manufacturing job shop at West High School is doing its part to as college credit upon completion of the
provides students with engage young women in exploring careers in program.
opportunities to com- the areas of manufacturing and engineering. Since the inception of This Girl Can in
plete projects for local Each year, local girls are invited to take part the 2016–17 school year, Belongia has seen
businesses in areas of in a free workshop series called “This Girl the benefits of introducing girls to the engi-
welding, machine fabrica- Can.” The free workshops are designed to neering and manufacturing fields. “Since we
tion, and metals. Some of be engaging and educational, while exposing started This Girl Can, it has been rewarding
the equipment capabilities girls to the many career opportunities avail- to see a few of the girls enroll in our Bay
®
include; design/software, able in our region. Link Manufacturing program when they are
CNC machining, manual This Girl Can participants have created old enough,” said Belongia. “This Girl Can
machining, cutting and metal art using basic welding skills, wooden allows students to get comfortable with a new
Green Bay Area Public School District welding. signs using a CNC machine, built garden beds skill in a safe, controlled environment. Often
Every year, juniors and seniors in the Each summer, students have the oppor- using carpentry skills, and many more excit- they realize they are pretty good at welding,
Green Bay Area Public School District are tunity to work for Bay Link Manufacturing®. ing projects. Girls in grades 7-9 are invited and it opens up a whole new career path for
invited to apply for the Bay Link Manufac- Andy Belongia, Bay Link Manufacturing® to attend the workshops with a special adult them.”
turing® program. Bay Link Manufacturing® Coordinator, hires a few students each year female. This person could be a mother, grand- Belongia would like to see more girls
®
gives students the opportunity to gain real to keep the shop running through the summer mother, older sister, aunt, female mentor, etc. enroll in Bay Link Manufacturing , as the job
world experience in manufacturing, engineer- months. Andy Belongia is the instructor of Bay opportunities in welding and manufacturing
®
ing, marketing, and business. Recognizing “There is no formal instruction during Link Manufacturing , a manufacturing learn- in Wisconsin are plentiful. “Many of our Bay
that the future depends on creating a highly the summer, the students just know what we ing lab for students located in West High Link Manufacturing ® students have a job in
skilled workforce to sustain our vibrant com- need to do and how to do it,” said Belongia. School. Bay Link is equipped to complete their desired field right out of high school,
munity, the Green Bay Area Public School “They punch in; punch out just like a regular projects for local companies in the areas of and some work while they attend college
District and it’s partners developed Bay Link job. It’s more laid back in the summer and industrial welding, machine fabrication and to continue their education,” said Belongia.
Manufacturing® in 2014. Students receive for that reason we need to have the right stu- metals. Juniors and seniors at any Green Bay “These fields offer high-wage, family-sup-
high school credit as well as college credit dents.” Area Public School District school are eli- porting positions that you can make a career
upon completion of the program. Students get hands on experience in gible to apply for entrance into the program. out of.”
Bay Link Manufacturing ® is a high- learning to produce materials and projects
precision manufacturing learning lab located efficiently, effectively and accurately. There school year is done. We can continue to keep To learn more about Green Bay West’s
at Green Bay West high School. The lab is is also a business side to Bay Link Manu- these relationships going all summer and con- manufacturing program, visit gbaps.org/
equipped to complete projects for local com- facturing® where students talk to customers tinue to do the work for them,” said Belongia. baylinkmanufacturing and follow them on Face-
panies in the areas of industrial welding, and make sales calls. “We do charge for the Bay Link Manufacturing®, both as a book at facebook.com/BayLinkManufacturing.
machine fabrication, and metals. Through work we do, so the money that we make goes course and summer employment, is a great
sales, marketing, accounting, project plan- back into the program and the students then addition to a student’s resume. By maintain-
ning, bidding, purchase orders, and customer receive a scholarship based off our profits,” ing this program during the summer, students www.gbaps.org
service, students also learn the business side said Belongia. continue to gain experience in the areas of (920) 448-2000
of manufacturing. After being a part of Bay Belongia’s favorite part about the machining and manufacturing, which is
Link Manufacturing®, students are prepared program is the summer aspect of it. “We can important for employers who are looking to
to attend a 2 or 4 year college in the fields of tell our customers that we don’t close once the hire individuals with prior work experience.

“Other companies use their people to build a business, FIND A CAREER
but at Johnsonville we use our business to build our people.” AT JOHNSONVILLE

Johnsonville | PO Box 906 | Sheboygan Falls, WI | 53085 1-888-556-BRAT jobs.johnsonville.com