NORFOLK, Neb. – Students at Northeast Community College will have increased financial support as they pursue manufacturing education and training. The Gene Haas Foundation has awarded Northeast Community College $12,500 in grants to support student scholarships and machining and manufacturing engineering program needs through the institution’s Machining and Manufacturing Automation program.
Since 2015, Northeast’s program has received annual grants from the Gene Haas Foundation, bringing the total received to $62,500. On behalf of the Gene Haas Foundation, a large check was presented to Instructor Brandon Wilbur-Sohl, instructor, Shanelle Grudzinski, dean of applied technology, Brad Ranslem, associate dean of applied technology, and students in the Machining and Manufacturing Automation program by Chuck Wiley and Bob Jaster of Productivity Inc, the local Haas Factory Outlet in Omaha.
Through classroom instruction and hands-on lab experiences, students in the Manufacturing and Machining Automation program gain highly valuable knowledge and skills in welding, fabrication, precision measurement, machining, and operation and programming of computerized manufacturing technologies including computer numerical control (CNC) and industrial robotics. Additionally, students may earn industry recognized credentials while learning about industrial safety, maintenance, quality, equipment operations, and leadership. Graduates are prepared to work in middle skilled positions in a wide variety of manufacturing environments.
“Northeast Community College is very active with local manufacturing companies and high schools helping to keep the pipeline of manufacturing going with graduates from our program, said Brad Ranslem, associate dean of applied technology.
The Gene Haas Foundation’s primary goal is to build skills in the manufacturing industry by providing scholarships for CNC machine technology students. For High Schools, a portion of the funds may also be used to support the school’s participation in student competitions such as FIRST or VEX Robotics, SkillsUSA and Supermileage programs that highlight their manufacturing programs.
The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999, by Haas Automation, Inc., Founder and CEO Gene Haas, to support the needs of the local community, through grants to such local charities as the Boys and Girls Clubs, Food Share, Rescue Mission, and others.
Seeing a growing need for skilled manufacturing employees across the industry, the Foundation expanded its mission to include support for manufacturing training programs throughout North America and beyond. By providing scholarship grants, sponsoring individual and team CNC competitions, and partnering with the very best CNC training programs in the world, the Foundation helps expand the availability of high-quality manufacturing technology training worldwide.
The Gene Haas Foundation donates millions of dollars every year to manufacturing education and the community. Since 1999, the Gene Haas Foundation has provided more than $150 million in grants and sponsorships.
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Representatives of Productivity, Inc., present a $12, 500 check on behalf of the Gene Haas Foundation to representatives of Northeast Community College and to students in the College’s Machining and Manufacturing Automation program. This is the sixth year the foundation has donated funds to the program bringing the total to $62,500. The funds will be used to provide scholarships to students enrolled in Machining and Manufacturing Automation. Pictured (front row, l-r) are Brad Ranslem, associate dean of applied technology at Northeast; Korbyn Greiner, O’Neill, and Eli Chvatal, Wahoo, students; Chuck Wiley of Productivity; Treyton Frahm, Lyons, and Sean Bakali, Malawi, students; Brandon Wilber-Sohl, machining and manufacturing automation instructor; Dalton Clemens, Bassett, and William Pfister, Bassett, students; Bob Jaster of Productivity; and Shanelle Grudzinski, dean of applied technology. Not pictured: students Haden Forney, Columbus; Isaac Gonzalez, Schuyler; William Schmitz, O’Neill, and Landen Whipple, Norfolk.