Success isn’t given, it’s earned, and Christian Bailey-Steenport of Fond du Lac is using his drive and motivation to pave his path. He had a difficult upbringing with a traumatic home-life. As a result, he left home before finishing high school. The choices he made from there weren’t always the best, but it ultimately led him to where he is today.

“I had a horrible home life,” Christian said. “When I left, I ended up with the wrong crowd and eventually became a product of my environment.”

He needed a change in his life, but at the time didn’t have access to opportunities that could help turn his life around. It wasn’t long before Christian was in trouble with the law. 

“I wasn’t making good choices,” he said. “However, my time behind bars is ultimately what gave me the clarity and fresh start I needed.”

While Christian was in jail, he made solid goals and a plan to obtain them. When he was released on January 8, 2019, his first stop was Moraine Park Technical College’s Economic and Workforce Development Boot Camp program test drive.

The College’s test drive offers the opportunity to explore the welding and computerized numerical control (CNC) machining careers, meet potential employers, and receive valuable real-world opportunities. Christian immediately signed up for the welding boot camp. 

“Both my Grandpa and Dad were welders,” he said. “I had some background knowledge of the field and decided to learn more.”

Christian began his college career in February of 2019 and hasn’t stopped since.

“When I first came to Moraine Park, I was only interested in completing the welding boot camp,” he said. “I wasn’t interested in making friends. I wanted to focus only on my goals. It didn’t take long for my mindset to change, and I’m glad it did. I’m learning a lot, enjoying college, and I have made some great friends along the way.”

Christian completed the welding boot camp in May of 2019 and immediately enrolled in the welding technical diploma program. He is scheduled to graduate in December of 2020. He also has plans to earn his metal fabrication and automotive technician technical diplomas and has an interest in serving an industrial maintenance apprenticeship. His overall goal is to own a custom metal fabrication shop with his brother, who begins his boot camp journey in January 2020. 

“I am motivated to succeed,” Christian said. “I’ve overcome a lot in my life, and my college journey hasn’t always been easy, but I keep showing up. I’ve never missed a day of class-ever.”

Currently, Christian works full time at MEC, where he served his boot camp internship and was hired before graduation. He also attends school full time. He is busy but motivated, and that is the driving force that makes it all work for him. 

“I’ve had a lot of support from Moraine Park,” he said. “They helped me to succeed and ultimately have guided me through this new path. I’m proud of myself and look forward to accomplishing more.”

For more information about a career in CNC or Welding, visit morainepark.edu/bootcamp and sign up for one of the information and testing sessions in January 2020. These sessions are a required step to participating in the free boot camp program. 

Reading and hearing about new career opportunities is helpful. But what if you actually could try them out as well? Moraine Park Technical College is offering a unique opportunity to do just that with its “Test Drive” workshops for welding and computerized numerical control (CNC).

Our CNC machining and welding Test Drive event is being offered at Moraine Park Fond du Lac campuses on December 17, 2019. 

This Test Drive event includes hands-on, two-hour workshops for both welding and CNC.  Both the welding and CNC Test Drive workshop will give attendees insight into these respective careers and provide valuable, hands-on opportunities to try out these career areas.

Participants who attend Test Drive will also be able to learn about Moraine Park’s short-term training boot camp opportunities. These boot camps offer a unique training opportunity to potential candidates by providing entry-level skills as well as job experience from these 13- to 15-week sessions. CNC Machining and Welding Boot Camps begin in March 2020.

“Test drive is a great opportunity to get a hands-on experience in these high-demand careers and learn about free training opportunities,” said JoAnn Hall, Dean of Economic and Workforce Development. “Past participants have really appreciated these short, intensive opportunities to get a real-world glimpse into these careers”

Space is limited for the Test Drive workshops, and pre-registration is required.

For more details or to register, visit http://mptcbootcamps.eventbrite.com/, email bootcamps@morainepark.edu or call Nikki at 920-924-3334.

Computer Numerical Control. CNC machining.

Are you asking yourself, what does that mean?

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) is a portion of manufacturing in which you control precision automated machine tools using a programmable computer. Due to this level of automation, machines can be operated with supervision of an accredited operator, increasing productivity and minimizing the possibility for human errors on a project.

Intrigued yet?  Did we mention that Moraine Park as an opportunity for you to attend our CNC boot camp for free?  Yes, free. This unique 15-week training opportunity provides individuals with entry-level skills and job experience.

If you’re looking for a new career, CNC might be for you and here’s why.

Manufacturing in Wisconsin is currently on the upswing. Combine this with how badly companies need CNC workers, and you should be able to confidently enter a college or trade school, knowing a job will be waiting for you when you get out. In fact, manufacturing currently offers more potential in this regard than just about any other field.

Are you saying, okay that’s great but what types of jobs can I get? According to our CNC instructor, Josh Geschke, there are numerous opportunities available.

“This is what I love most about the trade.  There is a lot of overlap of skills between jobs so you can take your career in a number of different directions. With CNC skills and knowledge you may become any of the following:

CNC operator, set-up technician, conventional machinist, CNC machinist, programmer, die maker, mold maker, toolmaker, and supervisory positions

With additional schooling and experience you can enter the following careers that are related and support CNC.

Mechanical designer, engineering positions (mechanical engineer, manufacturing engineer, engineering technician), machine tool service technician; quality control technician/inspector; industrial salesperson.”

Do you want to learn more? Visit morainepark.edu/bootcamp  or call Nikki at (920) 924-3334, she’ll tell you everything you need to know about this free, 15-week training opportunity.

Don’t wait! Registrations are currently being accepted for our next boot camp Test Drive on December 17, 2019.

Nikki Dahlke is the new Recruitment and Advising Specialist for the boot camps in the Economic and Workforce Development Department. In her role, she will actively recruit students interested in participating in the short term manufacturing boot camps as well as support the current students attending them.

She comes to MPTC from a collaborative program between Goodwill Industries and Fox Valley Technical College where she was a Financial Coach for the Oshkosh FVTC students doing 1-1 financial counseling as well as classroom workshops to teach money management. Prior to that she worked at Fox Cities Habitat for Humanity for 4 years as the Family Services Coordinator and is still involved there as the Chair of their Family Selection Committee.

Nikki has spent her career working in non-profit case management and is looking forward to the opportunity to use those skills to help support students’ success at MPTC.

Nikki earned her Bachelors’ degrees from UW River Falls in Communicative Disorders and in Spanish. She is fully bilingual in Spanish and taught English in Mexico for a few years following college. She enjoys traveling to places off the beaten path and spending time with her husband and son.

“I am excited to continue to make a difference in the community by helping remove barriers to employment. These boot camps provide an incredible opportunity for students to gain skills, knowledge, and connections to a workplace through the internship. I look forward to working with the MPTC family in giving a hand up to people through these manufacturing boot camps.”

Interested in learning more about our boot camp opportunities, visit
https://www.morainepark.edu/services/business-and-industry/bootcamp/ .

Alex Bertram didn’t really need to find something new. He spent his days at his job at a car wash, and he was okay with it. Then his mom started talking about boot camps, and then his girlfriend started talking about boot camps, and suddenly he started thinking about boot camps as something he should actually do. “I’ve been washing cars for the past two years,” said Bertram, “and I just think I was going nowhere. I got a dollar raise in a year of working there. Now that I’m here I feel like I’m always moving forward. I’m always learning something. There are so many opportunities that I have with this thing and it’s free. You get paid. You get a job – well, you could get a job, you have the opportunity to go get that for yourself.”
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Cole Strassman is going to be a welder. In fact, it seems he already is, and probably what he would have been if he had never met us. The beauty of the boot camps is that it can take you where you want to go, even if you’re already on your way.
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Welding is fun for Alex Rocha, so fun, in fact, that when the end of class is called, Rocha, a Welding Boot Camp student, wants more. “When I’m done with class, I want to say, ‘Wait! I’m done already?’” and amazingly, that love of welding is only one part of what motivates him to succeed in the boot camps.

Rocha’s young daughter motivates him. The opportunity to meet new people that can teach him new skills and share life experiences motivates him. And most of all, his past motivates him: This includes a two-year incarceration that led him to our boot camps.

“I don’t mind talking about it because it’s the past. I’m here now and my future has endless possibilities because I’m here right now. That’s my motivation.”
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For Dylan Feutz, hard work has always been the easy part. When he graduated from high school in 2011, he chose the low-cost path. “The only reason I never went to college after high school is because I didn’t want to pay for it,” said Feutz, “I just planned on just working hard and making money.” Over the years in the workforce, he’s held jobs in food service and manufacturing, but something drove him to want more.
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We are off to another successful start for our CNC & Welding Boot Camps! With week 3 of our 22nd boot camp in the books, we are excited to see where the 15 new CNC and welding recruits will go!

Most of you may not know that it’s common for participants to come into these boot camps with little or no experience in their chosen field.  So they spend the first couple weeks getting their feet wet and learning the ins and outs of their new trade.
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