Innovations in Education
Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing
GW Lisk and Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES Collaboration
For the past few years, FAME member GW Lisk (Clifton Springs, NY) has been in partnership with the Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES (Flint campus), to provide industry expertise, evaluation and directions in education that will enhance their student curriculum. Their numerous innovations include the following.
Metal Trades & Welding Advisory Board
Each year, GW Lisk participates on the Metal Trades & Welding Advisory Board to advise educators (from principals to instructors) on “school to work” study programs that enhance the productivity of students graduating from vocational fields. These programs encourage students to utilize their hard (course) skills in a simulated manufacturing environment. In a recent project, students from drafting, welding and machining specialties worked together to make a “mini chopper” motorcycle. Team members from drafting drew the required parts, the team from fabrication welded and bent the frames, and the team from machining made the various other required parts. The students then built the models from scratch, took them to auto body for finishing, and entered both of the completed models in a competition. Peer pressure from project deadlines enhanced the students’ attendance dramatically—kids keenly felt the need to be present, so they wouldn’t let their team down. Students increased their team building skills, used their hard skills in a real world practical application, and also enhanced their problem solving skills—forcing them to devise solutions and move forward to complete the project.
NIMS Certification
GW Lisk has a team that assists students in attaining their NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) certification. Students work towards attendance and grade factors to receive a nationally recognized NIMS certification endorsement on their diploma. GW Lisk employees inspect and evaluate student work, determining whether designed and fabricated parts meet tolerance specifications.
Connecting Education & Real World Experience
GW Lisk donates the time of one staff person for one week per year to teach a Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) course at the WFL BOCES Flint campus. The company also provides scholarship funds each year for teachers in the BOCES Flint program to distribute to students pursuing college degrees in drafting and machining fields. Once each year, a GW Lisk representative meets with regional guidance counselors at their quarterly meeting to discuss careers in Advanced Manufacturing (AM), and encourage counselors to tour AM facilities for a one-on-one view of potential careers for their students. By presenting AM careers as a viable option for their students to consider, GW Lisk contributing to FAME’s mission of building world class talent.
