Industry supports Ridgewater Machine Tool program with grant for scholarships
December 8, 2021
HUTCHINSON and WILLMAR, MN – Students in Ridgewater College’s Machine Tool Technology program will have increased financial support as they pursue careers in machining and manufacturing thanks to a Gene Haas Foundation grant of $14,000. The funds will provide scholarships and assistance for high-tech program needs.
“Today’s demand for skilled CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machinists is extremely high,” said Greg Ryder, one of Ridgewater’s Machine Tool Technology instructors. “It is why we are expanding to the Willmar campus as well in Spring 2022. It will be great that machining students on both Hutchinson and Willmar campuses can apply for Machine Tool scholarships to support their educational investment and help us fill the skilled trades gap.”
Machine Tool students use Haas CNC machines daily. These grant funds will be available to students who have completed one or more semesters in the Ridgewater program, have a 3.0 or higher grade point average, and who apply. Since 2016, Ridgewater College has received $63,500 from the Gene Haas Foundation that supports both college and high school manufacturing efforts.