Tri Star receives $250,000 grant

ST. MARYS - Tri Star Career Compact officials will use a $250,000 JobsOhio grant to buy new equipment for the school's precision machining program.

The state grant, obtained with the assistance of Nidec Minster, is the first awarded to a high school. A formal presentation is slated at noon Sept. 30 at the Dennings Building in St. Marys.

The money will be used to buy two vertical CNC mills and a CNC lathe to replace vintage equipment built between 1943 and 1990. While space is at a premium in the department, teacher Rob Menker said the two new pieces will fit into the space occupied by one machine.

"This is a windfall for us," Tri Star Director Tim Buschur said. "There is no way our budget for 15 programs could accommodate such an expenditure."

The grant process actually began when Nidec Minster Machine tried to establish its own apprentice training program. However, the company was required to partner with a nonprofit program to qualify for the grant.

Company officials were aware Tri Star's training program provides a strong machining foundation for high school juniors and seniors. The school's partnership with two colleges - Wright State University-Lake Campus and Rhoades State College - as well as programming geared toward adult learning were added incentives.

Menker, who assisted Nidec Minster employee Ben Bingham in drafting the three-page proposal, is proud of the program's success but he wishes the program had room for more than 30 students per year.
"Companies would like to see 40 to 50 students enrolled in our class," he added. "That is not possible given limited space and the number of machines needed. Students are already waiting in line for the CNC machines."

Many of Menker's students land jobs at area factories before they graduate, beginning with summer positions paying $10 to $14 per hour. Those jobs frequently continue on to a journeyman's level after graduation, he added.

Seven to eight area companies have provided input on the training they would like Tri Star to provide.

"They want more graduating students with a foundation in machining," Menker said. "Let's face it, machining is the lifeblood of this country. Someone somewhere has machined a part for anything you touch or use."

Finding quality employees to replace retiring Baby Boomers is a prime concern these days, according to Menker.

Education and technology are highly prized in manufacturing operations, according to Buschur. As a result, many companies are offering their machinists opportunities to earn four-year college degrees as they work. Menker has some students who are pursuing engineering degrees with their employers footing the bill.

Both Menker and Buschur point out manufacturing operations have changed over the years. Technology with its computer-assisted equipment and robots has made for a cleaner environment.

Menker faces a challenge each year as a new group of students begin his two-year program. Through a combination of class work and hands-on training, they acquire a strong foundation on which to build and learn the importance of working together toward a common goal.

JobsOhio is a private, non-profit corporation designed to drive job creation and capital investment through business attraction, retention and expansion efforts. The goal is to keep jobs here in Ohio and ensure there are trained employees to meet the need,

"The Tri Star program will be a model for the state," Menker added. "JobsOhio donations have gone to colleges but never to a high school. We will serve as a testing ground for tech-based manufacturing that can be applied anywhere in the state."