Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/312675
16 | /insight on manufacturing • May 2014 w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m E D U C AT I O n & T R A I n I n G a classroom presentation, and knew it would be a perfect fit for him. "i'm more of a hands-on learner, and for those who know a four- year school isn't in their future, this program takes you out of the high school environment and puts you right into the workforce," says Jakubobsky, a 2011 youth apprenticeship welding program graduate from De Pere high school. Jakubobsky completed his welding apprenticeship at Velocity machine inc., and is now a welder/fabricator there. he was hired right out of high school with two years of experience under his belt. "e youth apprenticeship program helped me know that this is something i wanted to do for the rest of my life. it put me ahead of the curve, with hands-on experience," Jakubobsky says. A model to follow other chambers of commerce around Wisconsin look to Green Bay's example as the model for success. in the oshkosh area school District, Patti andersen-shew is making her way through high school classrooms looking for a few raised hands for the chamber's fledgling program. she will interview students who apply, and introduce them to employers who are hiring. "ey call me 'the matchmaker,'" jokes andersen-shew, education and workforce coordinator for the oshkosh Chamber of Commerce. "i'm recruiting for fall and spring of the next school year, and it's a great opportunity for these students looking to tie together their education experience with the real world." e oshkosh district began its partnership with the chamber in December, and now has placed two area students – one each from oshkosh North and oshkosh West high schools – at Bergstrom automotive in Neenah.