91视频

A collaboration between 91视频 and St. Clair High School continues to grow. This year marks the third year of the Project Lead The Way-Engineering (PLTW-E) program 鈥� a partnership between the College and SCHS.

The high school鈥檚 PLTW-E program, in conjunction with 91视频鈥檚 advanced manufacturing center, has organically grown into what is now a collaborative lab-sharing project. SCHS students use the labs and equipment at 91视频 to further enhance their PLTW-E program.

Since 2019, Maurice Gritzman, PLTW-E instructor at SCHS, has jumped on a bus with his students four days a week to make the trip during the fall and spring semesters to the College鈥檚 Business and Industry Center (BIC). Gritzman, a former engineer, leads his students through engineering studies at SCHS and at 91视频.

While at 91视频 his students learn to model projects using Solidworks (computer-aided drawing and engineering application) and then they build their projects using Precision Machining equipment. Students in this program also utilize industrial precision machines and other related software. In addition to utilizing equipment and technology that is unavailable at the high school, the SCHS students also earn 91视频 dual credit courses for college.

This year there are eight SCHS students involved in the PLTW-e. In 2020, all three SHCS grads in the program came to 91视频 the following year. Last year, there were 15 students, five of whom were seniors in the program 鈥� two came to 91视频 after graduating high school and three went onto Missouri S&T in Rolla.

Collaboration

The collaboration between SCHS and 91视频 began four years ago, according to Dr. Richard Hudanick, Dean of Career and Technical Education. Gritzman brought students to the BIC labs for 91视频鈥檚 Annual Manufacturing Days Event in 2019.

The event showcases 91视频鈥檚 faculty, labs and programs focused on HVAC, Industrials Engineering Technology, Precision Machinery, and Welding.

It was at Manufacturing Days that Gritzman and SCHS Advisor Holly Click met Nathan Esbeck, Industrial Engineering Technology (IET) program director; Curtis Elliott, Precision Machining program coordinator; and Hudanick.

At the time, Gritzman had his eyes on one of IET鈥檚 robotic trainers, according to Hudanick. 鈥淢aurice said, 鈥業 wish I had one of these.鈥�

鈥淚 told him that 鈥榦ur labs are your labs鈥�,鈥� Hudanick added. 鈥淎t this point the ball was in Maurice鈥檚 court and from that moment his relationship with 91视频, and Esbeck and Elliott, has been nothing but a success.鈥�

This collaborative project satisfies many needs of the community while allowing students to discover engineering and advanced manufacturing career paths.

91视频鈥檚 IET and Precision Machinery programs offer such an opportunity for this discovery.

鈥淣either of these programs are well known outside manufacturing itself and with good paying careers for those who travel their paths,鈥� Hudanick added. 鈥淲hat a novel way to build a collaborative adventure with high school student鈥檚 career-future at the center.鈥�

He explained that the high schools work toward developing pathways, like PLTW, for their students, while trying to engage them is career ideas.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a win-win when high school engineering and industrials arts programs are supported by their community colleges,鈥� Hudanick added. 鈥�91视频 has the lab resources to include state-of-the-art equipment and industry software, and we are preparing these high school students for their next step after graduation.