Did you know that according to the U.S. Department of Labor, only 1.7 percent of electricians in the United States are women? In honor of International Women’s Day, read about how Jenny Conrardy, an MPTC electrical apprentice, is sparking change in the trades.

In 2021, Conrrardy began working at Current Electric in Wauwatosa. Soon after she started, Conrardy proved herself a hardworking, dedicated employee and was selected for an apprenticeship to gain electrical training at Moraine Park. She specializes in photovoltaic energy.

“It’s not a secret that trade careers offer high-paying, reliable jobs, and women deserve to have high-paying jobs,” Gus Boyle Gustavus, Moraine Park electricity instructor, said. “My observations have been that many women tend to still believe that trade workplaces are rough and unaccepting. I have been working in male-dominated occupations my entire life and have always had colleagues who want to see me be successful and pave the way for other women.”

Through her apprenticeship, Conrardy earns a wage while she attends her classes, and her employer pays tuition and book expenses. She attends class one full day every other week, making it easier to maintain income and learn at the same time.

“The trades are a great fit for any person who loves to work with their hands and problem solve,” Conrardy said. “The trades have historically been a white, male-dominated industry, but I think there is a lot of room and willingness in the industry to open that demographic right now. Not just for women, but also for people of color and the LGBTQ community. I encourage people to take that first step, don’t let anyone say no and keep moving forward.” 

Conrardy will complete her apprenticeship and earn her journeyworker’s license in 2025. She is the only woman in her class. 

“It’s important for our youth to understand different types of professions available and for our young female students to actually see that women play an active role in trades-related occupations,” Bobbi Fields, Moraine Park dean of applied technology and trades, said. “When kids see someone who they can relate to being successful in a career, it increases the likelihood that they could dream of working in that profession someday.”

On April 21, 2022, MPTC West Bend Electricity Instructor Gus Boyle-Gustavus and her students hosted Washington County Boys and Girls Club scholars in grades 5-11 for a fun, interactive Dream Big event.

The Dream Big project started in 2017 with Boys and Girls Clubs of Fond du Lac and Tri-County Area teens learning more about the over 100 careers available through MPTC. Each semester, Moraine Park students showcase their program and make a true community impact for area teens to get excited about career choices!

West Bend Boys and Girls Club Teen Program Director Ashlyn Poling said, “Our teen members loved partnering up with the Electricity students from Moraine Park Technical College. We are always looking for opportunities to inspire our youth and encourage learning new skills, and this Electricity Event allowed us to do just that! Thank you MPTC!” Ashlyn herself got to wire up a circuit to turn on a lightbulb and had great fun! Electricity Instructor Gus said, “What an awesome event! Our Electricity students each partnered up with a BGC scholar and had a blast! I was so impressed with each of our students’ teaching, mentoring and patience skills to do this 2-hour activity with teens. I surprised them today with this event and they all came through!”

For more info on Electricity at MPTC.

Moraine Park Technical College student, Austin Seidel of West Bend, earned third place at the 2021 National SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference during the week of June 21.

Seidel, an electricity student at the College, competed at the regional conference last April in the Industrial Motor Controls category. He earned first place- advancing him to nationals. More than 16,000 students from across the nation participated in the weeklong event.

SkillsUSA is the showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. Their philosophy is to reward students for excellence, involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and keep training relevant to employers’ needs.

morainepark.edu

Moraine Park Technical College students from both the CNC Tool and Die and Electricity clubs participated virtually in the 2021 Wisconsin SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference during the week of April 12.

The CNC Tool and Die Club representatives competed in the Automated Manufacturing Technology category. Participants who earned second place are Alyssa Bidenbender of West Bend, William Fuhrmann of Fond du Lac, and Cole Duehring of West Bend. Pariticpants who earned third place are Logan Kelley of Port Washington, Brady Falk of West Bend, and Phillip Paulus of Fredonia.

Electricity Club representatives competed in the Industrial Motor Controls category and earned a complete sweep of the top three spots. Participants were Austin Seidel of West Bend, first place; Eric Helgeson of Juneau, second place; and, Seth Mckenzie of Sheboygan, third place.

Seidel will represent Moraine Park Technical College at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC), June 21-24. The National event will also be held virtually.

SkillsUSA is the showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. The philosophy of the event is to reward students for excellence, involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and keep training relevant to employers’ needs. More than 16,000 people are expected to participate in the NLSC weeklong event.

For more information about Moraine Park Technical College, visit morainepark.edu.

Congratulations to Moraine Park’s CNC and Electricity students on their accomplishments at the SkillsUSA national competition in Louisville, Kentucky.

• The Automated Manufacturing Technology Team took 4th place.

• The Industrial Electric took 4th place.

• The Constructional Electric took 13th place.

The state of Wisconsin as a whole did exceptionally well. Of the 35 students who competed, 29 of them placed in the top ten and 19 of those were in the top five!

Another successful year, and congrats to Moraine Park’s competing students Zachary Rabideau of Jackson, Jarred Welnak of Germantown, Will Kraus of Jackson, Michael Schaefer of Juneau, and Noah Johannes of Fredonia.

Moraine Park Technical College’s Electricity and
CNC Tool and Die students and staff are celebrating some major achievements at the 2019 Wisconsin SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference in Madison, WI.

ELECTRICITY

The electricity students participated in two categories; Electrical Construction Wiring and Industrial Motor Controls. The College earned a complete sweep of the top three spots in the Industrial Motor Controls category. Participants were Michael Schaefer of Juneau, first place; Daniel Sowin of Sheboygan Falls, second place; Anastasia Szczesny of Iron Ridge, third place. Also, Moraine Park student, Noah Johannes of Fredonia, earned the College another first place award in the Electrical Construction Wiring category.

“I’m very proud of their accomplishments,” Mark Wamsley, electricity instructor at Moraine Park said. “I have watched them grown and excel in their field. I look forward to watching them compete at Nationals.”

Schaefer and Johannes will represent Moraine Park Technical College at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, KY this June.

CNC

The CNC Tool and Die club representatives competed in two separate categories; Automated Manufacturing Technology and CNC Milling Specialist. Earning first place in the team Automated Manufacturing Technology category are William Kraus of Jackson, Zachary Rabideau of Jackson, and Jarred Welnak of Germantown. Isaac Schrage of West Bend competed in the CNC Milling Specialist category and achieved fifth place. Kraus, Rabideau, and Welnake will represent Moraine Park Technical College at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) in Louisville, KY this June.

SkillsUSA is the showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. The philosophy of the event is to reward students for excellence, involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and keep training relevant to employers’ needs. More than 16,000 people are expected to participate in the NLSC weeklong event.

For more information about Moraine Park Technical College programs, like Electricity and CNC, visit morainepark.edu.

Moraine Park Technical College carpentry students recently participated in the 2019 Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) of Wisconsin Skill Trade competition in West Bend.

The ABC of Wisconsin Skill competition is an all-day event that includes a four-hour hands-on practical exam and a two-hour written exam. Moraine Park had a total of four students participate, earning four of the eight medals in the competition.

The College’s students earned a complete sweep of the top three spots in the carpentry division. Chad St. John of Oshkosh, employed by Northcentral Construction Corporation, placed first; John Paul Rubenzer of Plover, employed by Altmann Construction Company, Inc, placed second; Brian Noone of Madison, employed by Stevens Construction Corp., placed third. Tyler Anderson of Oostburg, employed by DeTroye Electric Service, Inc., placed second in the electrical competition.

“Chad came to NorthCentral with very little construction experience,” Jim Brunet, general superintendent at North Central Construction Corp. said. “The past three years I have witnessed his growth in the construction industry, getting the knowledge and support from our experienced foreman and leadman. Having Chad go through the ABC apprenticeship will be a great asset for our company. He is now following in the footsteps of some of our past apprentices by going to nationals to compete and climbing the ladder of success at NorthCentral. I look forward to Chad being a great role  model for some of our younger apprentices in years to come, and we wish him the best of luck at nationals.”

St. John will represent Moraine Park Technical College at the ABC National Craftsman Championship in Long Beach, Calif. this March. This event allows for skilled trainees and apprentices from across the country compete for top honors by demonstrating their superior skills, training, and safe work practices. The championship is expected to have 200 competitors from across the nation.

For more information about Moraine Park Technical College, visit morainepark.edu.

Students at Moraine Park had the opportunity to participate in the Ideal Tool Competition earlier this semester. The competition showcases individuals who can use tools in the electricity field the quickest. This competition is held in various cities across the country with professional and student categories. Continue reading