Throughout the month of October, Rotochopper planned and hosted several events for local schools to exhibit and market the opportunities available in the high-tech world of modern manufacturing. The purpose of our events during manufacturing month was to promote the careers available in the industry and celebrate the work being done by our employees.
Once again Rotochopper participated in the Central Minnesota Manufacturers Association (CMMA) Tour of Manufacturing. The month-long virtual tour gave attendees an inside look at the work done at Rotochopper’s manufacturing facility and the equipment that is built there. The virtual tour continues to be a resource for students and families beyond manufacturing month.
As part of Rotochopper’s manufacturing month initiative, we hosted two student groups in person at our facility in St. Martin, MN. The West Stearns CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) group and the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (BBE) MAPS (Manufacturing and Production Systems) class toured Rotochopper during the month of October.
The West Stearns CEO class visited Rotochopper as part of their year-long course designed to utilize partnerships that provide an overview of business development and processes. WSCEO’s mission is to grow the future leaders of Albany, Melrose, and Sauk Centre by connecting them to the leaders of today. The group toured Rotochopper on October 13, 2022. While they were here they asked great questions about many areas of the business, but their top takeaways were: It takes about 1500 man hours to build their largest machine, building a team culture takes effort, but it’s worth it and Rotochopper obtained a patent for a machine that colored mulch as it ground it up, making it a one-step process instead of two.
“The WSCEO Class was grateful for the opportunity to tour Rotochopper. It was amazing to see such a huge manufacturing company based locally but with a nationwide and even global impact. We learned a lot about what it takes to be an industry leader in manufacturing and how important each employee is to make that happen,” James Schreiner WSCEO facilitator.
The last week of October the BBE MAPS class visited Rotochopper as part of the first semester of their class. They spent time touring the Rotochopper facility and having conversations with different departments within the company to learn more about the various types of career paths that are available. During the course of their class, they will tour area businesses, build a resume, and complete an internship, as well as complete several college classes through Ridgewater College in Willmar, MN for credits towards a future degree. Students had questions about the robotic welders, how the machines are painted, and what types of benefits are provided to employees. Mr. Reed Adrian BBE Schools MAPS advisor said, “The staff and employees at Rotochopper were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They brought us right in and were proud to show off what they do every day at their company.”
Rotochopper CEO, Tosh Brinkerhoff, had the opportunity to speak to some of the students that visited Rotochopper during the month. Tosh encouraged the students to try new things to see what they like and find where their skill set fits in. “Make the most out of every opportunity presented to you. Take the chance to meet new people and grow your network, you never know how those connections will impact your lives in years to come,” said Brinkerhoff.
Rotochopper is proud to support a variety of school programs giving students a first-hand look at how businesses operate and connecting them with leaders and real-world opportunities. Thank you to our October 2022 Manufacturing Month tours. If you know of a student group that would like a tour, contact our Director of Community Relations.