Last week, tours of a specialized trailer containing computerized equipment developed for an industrial setting was showcased in Sturgeon Bay. While the CNC trailer is intended as a teaching tool for area students who want to work in local industry, it’s genesis came out of a desire on the part of Southern Door technical education teacher Dave LeBrun to provide his students with a taste of the kind of technology they would have to master in today’s industrial world. LeBrun explains what CNC stands for…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/N1515.mp3|titles=Dave LeBrun]
LeBrun says he began the process by upgrading his own credentials, then engaged in a couple of studies to determine what was needed to help his tech ed students. He says students need to be prepared for real world technology if they are going to be able to land jobs in industrial settings…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/N1516.mp3|titles=Dave LeBrun]
LeBrun next pitched his idea to Southern Door Superintendent Joe Innis who asked him to justify the CNC programming. A grant was obtained through the Raibrook Foundation &, at the urging of Innis, NWTC was contacted. Not only was the tech college interested in the idea, but helped bring about the development of the CNC trailer so many more students can benefit from it’s equipment.
