For the City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The eighth annual North Central Wisconsin “Heavy Metal Tour” gave eighth-grade students from across central and northern Wisconsin firsthand experience with manufacturing facilities and one of three technical colleges. Locally, over 1,800 students toured the facilities of over 25 local employers during the Oct. 2 event, stopping for an educational lunch and career exploration at a Mid-State Technical College campus.

A collaboration between the Central Wisconsin Metal Manufacturer’s Alliance (CWIMMA) and three technical colleges, the Heavy Metal Tour has reached over 20,000 students since 2011.The event provides a unique opportunity for middle school students to gain valuable knowledge of high-demand careers in the manufacturing industry through tours of high-tech manufacturing facilities. Participating students also learn about educational and career opportunities in the area’s welding, fabricating, machining, engineering, and manufacturing trades.

In the next three years the country will see nearly 18 million job openings and 74.9 million retirements in skilled trades, according to Derek Heikkinen, director of CWIMMA.