High School Students Build Parts for Local Manufacturers

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An East Tennessee school district is taking advantage of state education funding initiatives to give students real-world manufacturing skills.

A pair of middle schools in Oak Ridge were among dozens of Tennessee schools to recently receive part of $800,000 under the state's Future Workforce Initiative (FWI), which aims to bolster science, technology, engineering, and math education across the state. A total of 52 schools were awarded money through the grant program last month. Jefferson and Robertsville middle schools in Oak Ridge will receive $10,000 each, WYSH-AM reports.The FWI funding follows $1.24 million awarded to Oak Ridge Schools under Tennessee's Innovative High School — or iSchool — Grant program in 2021, which allowed district officials to purchase a water jet cutting system for more than $123,000 and a CNC router for more than $47,000.

The new equipment, the Oak Ridger reported, helped establish a program referred to by district officials as "Wildcat Manufacturing" on the campus of Oak Ridge High School.

The program enables students to make and sell actual parts needed by local manufacturers. The district originally reached out to two local businesses — parts maker Tennessee Tool and Engineering and military manufacturer Oak Ridge Tool and Engineering — as well as to custom auto parts maker Lokar, located in nearby Knoxville.

"We'll be able to fabricate in our shop and sell real products to real people," Holly Cross, the district's career readiness and communications supervisor, told school board officials leading up to the vote.

Proceeds from parts sold would be used, in part, to reinvest in the high school's advanced manufacturing programs, organizers said. Other funds would go toward a scholarship program for participants who enroll at area trade schools, community colleges, or colleges and universities.

A separate state grant was slated to expand the program and pay students for after-hours work and additional instructors.

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