You’ve never seen a battle like this. There’s no destruction—only construction. It’s the Clash of the Trades, a manufacturing competition hosted by Project MFG. "Clash of Trades" is a classic reality show, with a manufacturing twist. Students use skills learned in their tech school classrooms to compete for a $100,000 prize, half of which goes to advance their school’s manufacturing programs. In this year’s Clash of the Trades, four teams competed in a medical manufacturing showdown — making hip replacement parts in an environment that simulated a real shop floor — complete with time crunches and change orders. Underdogs No More The winning team hailed from Minnesota State College Southeast and included Bradley Bishop, Ellery Kiesel, Ivey Wadman Vehrenkamp, and Austyn Warren. Considered the underdogs in the competition, the team pulled together to overcome several obstacles. The first hurdle for the Minnesota team was machinery. The team did not have a five-axis CNC machine in their lab. Team advisor Rick Hengel had an answer. He contacted nearby Rushford Manufacturing, and they opened the doors to the students — giving them use of the equipment and an employee mentor to train them. The next challenge the team faced was a big one; they didn’t have a welder. Luckily, Kiesel, a CNC student, had taken one welding night class and was willing to step in. “We didn’t have the specific machines, had limited experience, and our welder was a CNC student, so we definitely went into the competition as the underdogs,” Hengel says. “But this team went in there and knocked it out of the park. They worked really hard and were great at collaborating and trusting their teammates.” Straight from School to the Shop Floor For all of the students, the competition was an opportunity to showcase the skills they developed in technical school and do something they love. “I like the blueprint aspect. I like taking something from a picture and developing a plan to make it,” Bishop says. Since graduating, Bishop has been working as a CNC operator at Fastenal. One of his favorite things about the job is that he has a tangible part when he finishes an assignment. “I think it is crucial that people my age know that not everyone needs to go to a four-year school to be successful. I have a great, rewarding job,” he explains. Kiesel concurrs, “I never wanted to go to college. When I started working in the maintenance department at Fastenal, they encouraged me to go back to school for manufacturing. I’m now enrolled in the mechatronics program. I definitely think a manufacturing boom is coming, and it’s exciting to be involved in all the innovation.” Healthy Competition While not everyone could take home the big check, all the Project MFG participants took home some important life lessons — and a few great memories. The competition was fierce but friendly at this year’s finals. “All of the competitors were so talented,” says Quinn Baughman from the second place Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology team. “The organizers kept throwing new parts and changes at us because all of the teams were so capable and keeping up.” The team from Thaddeus Stevens also included: Ryan O’Donnell, Matt Mykut, and Nate Robbins. The element of competition mimicked the pressure on a real shop floor, Robbins notes. “In a competition, you make decisions based on your knowledge and your instincts, and you run with them — much like you do in the real world. In college, you can start over and over and change your approach and take your time.” He concludes, “This competition was exciting because it was realistic.” You can watch the full Clash of Trades on demand. To learn more about how Project MFG is elevating the next generation of highly skilled trade professionals, visit projectmfg.com.
Get ready to clash! “Clash of the Trades” is a classic reality show, with a manufacturing twist. This year, students used skills learned at school to compete in a medical device showdown making hip replacement parts.
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