December 3, 2024 - Fifteen students from Inland Lakes High School toured Moran Iron Works and the Industrial Arts Institute in Onaway. They began their day at Moran Iron Works with a brief presentation about what the company does before starting the tour of the facility. On the working shop floor, students observed robot welders being controlled by employees, watched as employees welded, grinded, and inspected various projects. Students were impressed walking through the massive shop while watching overhead cranes lift material and seeing the large-scale projects, including one for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. The tour demonstrated that not only is welding a lot more than just putting two pieces of metal together, but that Moran’s does more than just welding, including imperfection testing, CNC machining and programming, sandblasting and more.
Following Moran’s tour the students traveled just down the road to the Industrial Arts Institute. Staff discussed IAI’s 19-week training program, which is run like a working environment, exposing participants to different welding methods and certification attainments, and it’s 90% job placement rate, as well as available summer programs for high school students. Scholarship opportunities for those interested in attending the school were also covered. During the IAI tour, students learned more about what different things welders do, how much they can earn, and the various career pathways available in welding and fabrication. After the tour, some students learned that welding isn’t a good fit for them, but a few others are now more interested in taking welding classes as they move forward in their schooling.
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