“Tiger Manufacturing was founded in 2017 with nothing but a used Hardinge GT lathe and possibility,” says the student-run business’s website.
Seven years later, Tiger Manufacturing (TM) is thriving and boasts some big news: It’s offering college credit. TM, housed in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) wing at Newberg High School, has always included high school credit and minimum wage. However, starting this term, students who complete the course will also receive 11 credits in Portland Community College’s Associate Degree in Machine Manufacturing Technology. Students may opt for elective credits at PCC if they do not plan to pursue a manufacturing degree.
What Does TM Do?
TM Students create parts for equipment at major companies like DCI and A-dec, and they also make specialty items for local organizations, such as plaques (see photo).
“At Tiger Manufacturing, we provide a unique, hands-on educational experience that prepares students for life after high school,” said CAD/Makerspace/Manufacturing Teacher Patrick Verdun. “Our business is student-driven from the ground up. Students receive customer orders, procure tools and material, manufacture parts, send invoices, and report payroll, among other tasks.”
The idea for Tiger Manufacturing sparked with A.R.E. owner and founder Alvin Robert Elbert, who read about a similar program at Cardinal High School in Wisconsin.
“I knew we could do it!” Elbert said.
A.R.E. Manufacturing has had NHS interns since the 1980s, so when Elbert shared the idea, NHS staff leaped to support their longtime community partner. Organizers applied for a $50,000 grant but didn’t receive it, so it became an independent study offering. Elbert anticipated that sales would float the program. He was right. In its first year, four TM students made $9,000, with $4,000 in profits. There are now 16 students. Last year, TM made $70,000 in sales and $20,000 in profits.
“We offer a rare opportunity to get paid while going to school!” Verdun noted. “In our first year of operation, we manufactured over 10,000 parts and successfully turned a profit! Now, Tiger Manufacturing has been up and running for six school years. Our students leave Tiger Manufacturing with a solid set of career-ready skills and increased ambition.”
What Does TM Offer Students?
Elbert wanted to establish TM because:
- He wanted to provide youth with the opportunity for a hands-on working experience.
- He loved manufacturing and wanted to get more people involved.
- He wanted to find potential employees and hire within the community.
However, Elbert noted that TM is about more than learning a trade. He and A.R.E. machinist Jared Comfort train students to become not only machinists but also capable workers. Students soak up business know-how, such as invoicing and payroll, and dive into management principles, such as hiring practices.
“I do all the normal teacherly duties, but Alvin and Jared take care of specialized teaching and business aspects,” Verdun said. “I specialize in helping students with manual machining projects and CAD/CAM projects during the period while Alvin and Jared train on the CNC machines.” (CNC stands for computer numerical control, and these automated tools control machining equipment.)
In fact, Verdun said TM places students in a real-world situation.
“What makes our program so valuable is that it provides an opportunity for students to work and learn in a real business environment; they become hireable in any machine shop by taking the course and acquiring machining/manufacturing knowledge and skills, and they get paid for their time and are working for real customers,” he said.
TM brings the business environment to life with two leadership roles, CEO and CEO in training.
CEO Madi Lenz said that TM is a place where she feels comfortable and capable.
“Hands-on problem-solving has always been my strength,” said Lenz, an NHS senior.
She added that being in the class inspired her to pursue mechanical engineering in college.
Assistant CEO Dominic Tomaselli loves TM and encourages other students to try the class and CTE in general.
“Once you pick it up, most of the tools work the same,” Tomaselli, an NHS junior. “It’s easier than people think if you have a good teacher, and Alvin is a great teacher, and it’s a great opportunity.”
How Do You Get Involved?
This coming fall, there were 40 applications for the 16 open spaces. It’s a competitive program but worth the effort to apply, Lenz said. She now has the direction she was seeking, planning to study Mechanical Engineering and Innovative Management at Oregon State University. Verdun is glad to have this thriving skill-building program for students like Lenz and Tomaselli.
“It is a win-win for our community,” Verdun said. “These students graduate with real skills to work the minute they get out the door in an industry that is booming in our own backyard. They can always fall back on these skills, too, if they decide to pursue something else. What they learned will help them in any field they venture into.”
Elbert said that he plans to stick around to help many more students become capable workers and find their career paths for many more years to come.
“I keep telling them another five years,” he joked. “My nature is when I do something, I keep doing it over and over and over again.”
His determination helped TM grow from a possibility to a thriving business, career opportunity, and training ground at Newberg High School.
Interested? Contact [email protected]. Learn more about the program on the A.R.E. Manufacturing web page or the School District web page. Follow Tiger Manufacturing on Instagram www.instagram.com/tigermanufacturingnhs.