Students Discover Manufacturing Career Opportunities

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Some prospective workers are getting the chance to tour manufacturing facilities this week.

Minnesota’s Statewide Tour of Manufacturing is taking place through Friday. From Grand Rapids to Superior, WI, over 30 businesses across the northland are opening their doors for hundreds of high school students.

Wednesday, students toured Barko Hydraulics in Superior, getting a first hand experience of their operations and even the chance to get behind the wheel of some machinery.

“I feel like you never really know what you want to do until you go out and try it. So I think if you are interested in big machinery like this and manufacturing, this would be great,” said Hibbing High School student Michael Kaspari.

The tours aim to inspire students to enter the manufacturing industry and explore careers, in companies such as Barko Hydraulics, who manufactures forestry and land clearing equipment.

“I don’t think you can learn about this industry just by watching it on TV, or taking a presentation in a classroom environment. If they can actually get their shoes on the ground in the manufacturing environment, I think is really important. To see the environment itself and where they are being made and how they are being made,” said Barko Hydraulics Quality Manager.

Area Partnership for Economic Expansion also know as APEX has partnered with other local organizations to support the manufacturing tours. Some of the participating companies are Cirrus, BotCrew and Moline Machinery.