Jackson County Central, Hitch Doc, and AGCO have received a $15,000 LYFT Innovation Grant.

This project will help to better prepare students for working in the 21st century fabrication industry. Many of the business in our local area have some form of CNC operating system that they use to either design, prepare material, or build the products that they sell or supply their customers. The addition of the CNC Plasma Table would allow for students to experience and prepare for industry ready careers through hands on use. Students would be able to program, set-up, troubleshoot, maintain, and use the tool prior to entering a career where they would have the experience and skills to enter the job day one and be able to work. Students will gain knowledge and skills in CAD and 3D design to model and design a project before being able to physically create and build their own projects as well as the experience and practice creating from set plans and tolerances.

Instruction will take place in the classroom/shop with experts coming in to teach and work with students. There will also be field trips to see and learn how similar machines or the principles the students learned with the tools are used in the industry.

With the addition of this tool we would be able to serve a wide range of students from grades 9-12. All those interested in metal fabrication or CAD/3D designing would be able to use the programs and the machine itself.

The Jackson and surrounding communities have a strong welding, fabricating, machining, and engineering industry. These businesses have expressed interesting in partnering with us to help our students to become career and industry ready upon completion of high school and with the addition of this project we can help these business and students become one step closer to this goal of becoming career ready.

Each of these partners will help with the operation, maintenance, and education of these tools so that students will better understand and be able to use these machines as the progress through our programs and be prepared for careers in business such as those that we are partnering with. The partners will also help with supplies and will provide an opportunity for students to model and create actual parts that could be used in the produce of their products.

For more information contact Adam Manderfeld at adam.manderfeld@jccschools.net or 507-847-5310.