The biggest players in Superior industry turned out yesterday as a program was announced to train workers for jobs in their businesses. Alyssa Palmer has the story.

A crowd of WITC students, board members, and community business leaders applauded the announcement of Career and Technical Education Month.

The goal of Career and Technical Education Month is to inform the public how technical careers and education impact communities. Scott Woerle from Genesis Attachments says that while having trouble finding skilled workers, they began working with WITC and were able to bridge the gap of employment that they once faced.

“We at Genesis have WITC students working part time while going to school. We have also hired many full time students in both weld and machine tool. Technical education is successful when it helps students start careers, when it provides employers with good employees and it keeps the workers up to date on their jobs.”

Kestrel Aircraft CEO Alan Klapmeier plans to build two aircraft manufacturing plants in Superior over the next two years employing 300 to 600 workers. He says it is education that can take students into many different directions.

“It’s the technical background; it’s the foundation that allows people to do virtually anything. Start in the right place, you can finish a great place.”

Working with WITC, Kestrel will build composite single engine airplanes.

“We need to find great people who care about their job, who understand a wide variety of the aspects of doing any process and improving that process. And what that is really about is teamwork. That team, for us, obviously includes the core group who is working on the building, it includes the city and the county and all the fantastic things they have done for us, and very importantly WITC, the educational part if this.”

Superior Chamber Director and WITC Board Member Dave Minor says the dedication of students and staff is appreciated.

“Truly one of the assets of WITC is their nimbleness and their quick response to the business community. In my twenty years with the Chamber, I have watched WITC be at the table every time we’ve needed them and many times when we just needed someone to listen. But whether it’s a business closing, whether it’s a business coming to the community, they are there simply asking, ‘what can we bring to the table; how can we help deliver the product that is needed in our community?’”

If anyone is interested in a WITC program, they are encouraged to attend their Open House today from 2-5:00 p.m. on the Superior campus.

• Efforts to ban protesters from mine drill under negotiation - 6/18/2013
• Great Lakes shipping picking up, trying to make up for slow start - 6/18/2013
• DA looking at possible assault charges in mine drilling raid - 6/17/2013
• DNR denies Bad River request to stop drilling - 6/16/2013
• Douglas County wildfire area already seeing green - 6/15/2013