(11/02/2023) Anoka-Hennepin students attending the Secondary Technical Education Program (STEP) have multiple opportunities to experience manufacturing careers through internships, career tours and field trips. 

The big picture: October was proclaimed as Manufacturing Month in the state of Minnesota, which is also a national initiative to address common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving companies an opportunity to open their doors and demonstrate what manufacturing is – and what manufacturing isn’t.

Currently, students have internship positions at seven different companies, some of which are through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s Youth Skills Training (YST) Program. Already this school year, students have visited more than a handful of companies and college campuses on tours and field trips. Blaine High School student Davontae Williams said, “The trips open up options for what you could want to do for your career.”

Zoom in: On Oct. 31, students wrapped Manufacturing Month by visiting St. Cloud Technical & Community College to learn about programs in plumbing, HVAC and water environment technologies. Matt Olsen, a student from Anoka High School said, “I liked hearing from the instructors because it gave me more of an idea of how the program would go.”

The group also visited the Minneapolis Plumbers Joint Journeyman Apprenticeship Training Committee in Maple Grove to learn about programs for aspiring plumbers. View photos from the visits.

Go deeper: The Secondary Technical Education Program (STEP) provides relevant education to prepare students for the high-tech, high-skill workplace of the 21st century. Located adjacent to Anoka Technical College, over 800 students daily have resources to simulate real work experiences and instructors who are industry professionals.