On October 24 and 26, 2023, students from Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) toured the U.S. Engineering Metalworks (USEMX) fabrication and manufacturing facility in Lawrence, Kansas. The students, enrolled in Welding Technology and Heating & Refrigeration programs at KCKCC, participate in a hands-on learning environment at the college, honing their skills on systems and applying their knowledge to practical unit models.

The trade managers at our Lawrence facility led the tours, recounting their professional journeys, answering questions about the union application process and their training experience, and talking about the tools and machines they work with every day. For the students, the tour and discussions offered a glimpse of the professional opportunities the trades offer, without a four-year-degree requirement.

Thank you to our Metalworks team for showing these students around and answering their questions. And thanks to the KCKCC students for the visit, and to the instructors who are doing the important work of introducing the next generation of tradespeople to our industry.