The NW Advisory board has opening for a Science Teacher and Workforce Development.  The goal of the board is to provide oversight for the STEM regional network. The membership of the Board is comprised of prekindergarten through grade twelve school districts and schools, higher education institutions, businesses, nonprofit organizations, youth agencies, local and state government officials and other appropriate stakeholders. The purpose of the regional networks is to provide broader access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics educational opportunities and promote STEM economic development within regions and across regions where it makes sense. It is a three year term. 

Click here to apply.

 Matt Hansen is working with Simonsen Industries to develop a welding training program for untrained workers joining their workforce. He is spending his time welding and assembling products that they consider entry level products, mainly building hydraulic oil reservoir tanks and other small assemblies. He is engaged in these activities so that he understands what the expectations are for new employees. He is participating in the on-the-job training that the company currently provides and is developing a better way to train new employees within the company for welding jobs. He will be working on the welding floor for 4-5 weeks with the expectation of providing feedback on what skills or training activities can be implemented into a training program for new hires. His goal is to provide a brief, 3 week course guide for what younger employees should be exposed to as the complete their on the job training, essentially developing a training process that new hires will be walked through.  Matt is also collaborating with the engineering team on ways to improve or alter products that allow for faster assembly as well as less welding processes. Because Simonsen Industries is located in a very small town, skilled labor is always tough to find, especially people that possess the ability to weld the products they produce.  Along with taking notes over training processes to be implemented, he is analyzing products that can be altered to cut down on production issues. Matt reports that he is really enjoying the fact that the company is utilizing his teaching background as well as his welding and drafting skills to improve something that truly matters within their company.

Matt's school, MMCRU School District unveils a 2.75 million dollar industrial technology center It was an awesome night with 400+ people in attendance as well as many Iowa legislators and all of my industry partners.  He will be able to integrate his newly gained knowledge into the his curriculum in the new facility! 

The 2018-19 Scale-Up awardees are enjoying some quality professional development to go along with their STEM programing.  K-12 teachers have been gathering, networking, collaborating, and forming cohorts as they explore the Scale-up programs.  They are also learning some STEM teaching best practices that they will then be implementing this year in their classrooms. Congratulations to all!