LIFT, Miller Electric Host Students to Complete a Welding Project

With the year 2021 ending wrapping another difficult year for education and STEM programs, 2022 started off on the right track with Brandon High School’s Welding students taking a field trip to LIFT to participate in a welding project.

The students were invited by LIFT and LIFT member Miller Electric to work on a welding project, creating a metal keepsake box, involving new techniques and process that they have not encountered previously.  The purpose was to create real life problem solving and having the students produce real life solutions – the same problem solving they would encounter in real life manufacturing.

This enthusiastic group visited LIFT for the first time, taking a tour of the LIFT High Bay guided by LIFT Learning Lab Director Marianne Donoghue and concluding in a visit a tour of the institute’s Wel

ding Training Technician Center, which includes equipment from  Miller Electric.   Miller’s Jason Ball introduced the students to the welding equipment and the project before sending them off to get to work.

When asked how learning this type of skill would benefit their future, most students answered the same way – that acquiring this skill would help secure their future to give them options and opportunities in a successful manufacturing career.

“Before I was introduced to welding as an Eagle scout, I never considered welding or any hands-on work. I was thinking more sit at a desk and become and engineer, but this program really opened my eyes to all the career pathways there are in manufacturing,” said Nick Bradburn, student at Brandon.

The LIFT Talent Program is designed to develop new tools and new venues to support national talent programs, including new curricula, to ensure the manufacturing workforce of the future has the knowledge skills and abilities to successfully work in the smarter manufacturing future.