Earlier this year, NASA’s Artemis II mission captured national attention as the first crewed lunar flyby in more than half a century. While the mission itself lasts less than 10 days, it represents nearly a decade of preparation before ever reaching the launchpad.

That preparation includes the design, fabrication, and testing of the hardware needed to support spaceflight. Companies like Eau Claire’s Riverside Machine & Engineering help produce the precision components and technologies that make missions like these possible.

Riverside supports work in aerospace, commercial space and the semiconductor industry, building the advanced components that power innovation in some of today’s fastest-growing industries. And for those interested in joining the team, a four-year college degree is not required to get started.

Riverside has been part of the Chippewa Valley’s Youth Apprenticeship program for over ten years, and during that time, have worked with high school students from Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie, Eleva-Strum, and Chetek-Weyerhaeuser.

Those students who partake in the Youth Apprenticeship program commit to one year of collaboration with Riverside — through their senior year — which includes serious hands-on work: learning general concepts of machining to operating equipment, learning how to complete quality and dimensional checks, aerospace-specific documentation and more.

Students get paid while working through their apprenticeship, build up their working foundation — that they’ll need after school regardless, to enter the workforce — and upon completion, gain a state certificate and a definite leg-up in experience.

“Last year, we had two Youth Apprenticeship students that decided they really enjoyed machining — they committed to attending CVTC this fall for the Machine Tool program, and referred some of their friends to us, who we brought on too,” said Elisia Gonsowski, Human Resources Manager at Riverside.

“If our apprentices make that choice, to continue purusing machining, we help pay for their education and keep them on our team through that,” Elisia continued. “Our tuition reimbursement program means, as long as they stay in school and do well, they end up paying very little for that higher education and are very prepared for their career.”

For people who aren’t interested in that two- or four-year college path, Riverside offers entry-level positions with on-the-job training. Whatever the interest level in additional education, there’s a road forward at Riverside — and that’s something Elisia has found unique about the local business during her 12 years there.

“Even with the business of school sports, other work and just life in general, I tell students if they can pull it off, this Youth Apprenticeship program is an opportunity they should definitely pursue,” she said.

Interested in learning more about Riverside Machine & Engineering’s Youth Apprenticeship program? Reach out at recruiting@mcandrs.com or call us at (763) 441-1855 for more details and next steps!

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