PARMA, MI - Zachary Johnson, a Western High School senior, has desperately wanted to break up the monotony of his typical school day.
He found the answer this semester, signing up for a hands-on robotics class fostered through a partnership with the school and Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc.
“I wanted to do something more active than sitting at a desk for 45 minutes,” he said. “Every. Single. Day. This class is more tangible. Right now in Algebra II, I’m working on imaginary numbers. It’s hard to think about what those are. With this class, you can actually see what’s going on.”
Jackson manufacturers like MACI, 2400 N. Dearing Road, are motivated to offer high school robotics classes to build talent, introduce students to manufacturing and train them for entry-level opportunities.
Finding, hiring and training new employees can cost Southeast Michigan businesses between $4,000 and $10,000 per worker, a Michigan Works! South East survey found.
The MACI partnership with Western High started last spring with the goal of identifying future talent for manufacturing jobs, said Brad Ries, a MACI production manager.
“We wanted to reach out and say, ‘Hey, manufacturing isn’t really that bad.’ This is a chance to get the message out,” he said. “The students are learning a lot of really interesting new things, and we’re just trying to (say) that we need engineers. We need maintenance guys and girls.”
The training program involves programming robots to perform tasks that are part of the company’s manufacturing processes, said MACI Technical Trainer Matt Petosky. He works with students to input commands directing robots to pick up and place material on an assembly line.
Eight students visit the company twice a week. Petosky said the students learn the exact same skills as an entry-level employee, and that all of them are qualified to hire immediately.
“I think it’s been a little eye opening for them to see,” he said. “We wanted them to get rid of some of the stigma of the manufacturing industry...monotonous work, no opportunities.”
The initiative falls in line with Western High’s goals for finding employment for students not planning to pursue college, said Western High Career Coordinator Christy Cottingham. She worked with MACI to set up a robotics systems class for credit.
“MACI has discussed the availability for students who excel in this program to be a direct hire into (the company),” she said. “The focus is on our graduating seniors (that will be entering the job market).”
The school’s career program also provides learning opportunities at county courthouses, schools, medical facilities such as Henry Ford Allegiance Health and more, Cottingham said.
Western High students program a robotic arm to pick up marbles at Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc.Sam Dodge | MLive Media Group
MACI’s financial incentive is to spend less money training entry-level workers. On the flip side, students can benefit by avoiding college debt and finding a job right away, said Steve Weller, a Western High engineering teacher.
“I also teach finances,” he said. “I got involved in this by looking at student loan debt... kids coming out of college with $60,000 to $120,000 in debt... It’s this kind of experience that can teach them that maybe college could be something they could have an employer pay for.”
The robotics class can also be used to bolster a student’s college resume, Weller said.
“If their plans include engineering studies at college,” he said, “they will have a preferred application with a MACI internship under their belt.”