A ribbon-cutting event was held Tuesday morning at the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Building on Whitley County High School’s campus for a new injection molding machine, which will further allow students to get valuable hands-on experience.
The machine, which was provided by Jones Plastic and Engineering through a partnership with Haitian Plastics Machinery, can be used to create virtually anything using plastic resin pellets that are heated into a liquid form and then quickly injected at high force into a mold, creating a precise plastic piece in a matter of seconds. The addition of the machine is just another way in which administrators, as well as local businesses, are pushing for an expansion of availability for trade work.
According to Superintendent John Siler, the latest opportunity is due to a continued investment in the district’s students by Jones Plastic and Engineering, which has been a strong supporter through donations and partnerships with the CTE program. In fact, Siler noted that officials at Jones Plastic and Engineering had the idea of providing an injection molding machine several years ago, when the CTE building was just in its initial planning phases.
“About three years ago, we started planning for this new building. It opened last year, in August of 2023. When it did, we were in conversations at Jones Plastic and Engineering and they came to us and said, ‘Listen, what if we put in one of our injection molding machines for your students to not only learn how to operate it, but to be taught how to maintain that piece of equipment, how to troubleshoot it, how to calibrate it, service it,’” said Siler.
“The benefit is going to go to our students. They’re learning a real-life hands-on skill and trade, whether it’s being in production and working on a line or being part of a maintenance team that keeps the manufacturing plant going, they’re going to get exposed to that. Whether they work at Jones or any other kind of manufacturing, it’s great experience to put on a resume and getting a foot in the door to being gainfully employed and having not just a job, but a career.”
The new machine adds to the list of trade skills provided at the CTE building, including electrical engineering, carpentry and others.
