The Redmond High manufacturing program has grown over the past decade into a powerhouse, with students winning competitions and getting internships and job opportunities right out of high school.

Manufacturing instructor Dan Kernion’s students are all focused on different aspects of manufacturing or welding, and are passionate about the subject, often after falling into the class by chance.

Oliver Riding, 18, took Kernion’s computer-aided design class on a whim and has now taken all of his classes. He enjoys the freedom and the challenge of programming machines.

“It’s a lot of fun to be in here and make whatever I want,” he said. “If you can design it, you can build it.”

Riding is working on parts for NASA through Kernion’s classes and is learning how to use a lathe. He plans on becoming a gunsmith and owning his own shop, he said.

More than a million dollars in grants

Kernion himself went into the guitar industry right out of high school. He worked for Carvin Guitars and was introduced to CNC Machines, which cut and shape materials to make parts. Kernion began to make guitar parts and later shaped surfboards on the same machines. After he moved to Bend, he designed guitar parts of Breedlove Guitars. His neighbor, who also taught at Redmond High, mentioned that the school was looking for a manufacturing teacher. At the time, the school didn’t have a manufacturing department at all.

“So I came in, interviewed, got the job and built what is now here today. I wrote a grant for half a million dollars my first year, which is what bought a lot of this equipment here. Since then, I think I’m well over a million dollars for grants that I’ve written, for manufacturing and the weld shop,” said Kernion, who started at Redmond High in the 2013-14 school year.

Kernion has industry partners around the country who have donated materials and told him about internships that his students have gotten into. He’s been taking students to competitions where students win top prizes for years. Kernion’s students will be going to nationals for SkillsUSA in June. Students have also participated in a newer competition called Project MFG, as well as competitions for the National Welding League and National Machining League.

“I designed this shop to expose the students to various types of manufacturing, starting in the classroom with computer-aided design,” he said.

Students start by learning design on computer models, including how they react and how to create them. Kernion has 3-D printers, so what students design, they can print. After that, they take manufacturing classes, focusing on machines and programming. The shop has two coordinate measurement machines so students can measure their work precisely. Students receive industry-recognized credentials for their work as well.

“I have some seniors that have built guitars in here, electric guitars,” said Kernion. “It’s beginning to end, from engineering parts to actually manufacturing parts and measuring parts. Many different careers in each one of those.”

Kernion also teaches welding, including basic positions and different processes. Local companies like BasX and Nosler are supportive of the program and have hired students.

Kernion’s students are also working on projects for the U.S. Navy and NASA.

“The trades right now, where our country’s at, I think more kids have a better opportunity going straight into the trades than they do going to college,” he said. “I think they come out more ready, coming through these trade schools or going right into work right out of high school…it’s all about work ethic and going after it.”

Passionate about programming and welding

Brandon Guyton, 18, got interested in 3-D printing and got an internship at a metal 3-D print shop, where he has since been hired. He’s continued to take Kernion’s classes because he said it’s a good use of time and he’s always learning something new.

“I never thought I’d like to sit behind a computer, but watching your ideas come onto a computer and being able to create it using our machines here, whether it’s additive or subtractive manufacturing. I think the idea of designing is what thrills me most,” he said.

Next year, he’ll attend the University of Arizona to earn an optical engineering degree. His current employer is working to pay for his degree and hire him as an engineer once he’s graduated.

Aiden Carpenter, 16, was interested in computer-aided design, and stuck with it before branching out into programming machines for his designs. He wholeheartedly recommended Kernion’s classes.

“It’s really interesting how little I knew about it before coming into it, and how much it’s not advertised,” he said.

Natalie Darnell, 17, focused on welding after being put into Kernion’s class as a freshman. She was offered a job early on and decided to keep learning. She has a welding internship in Illinois, which she’s excited for. Once she works there for a year, she will get all her certifications.

“I love the team experience, the trades are great for the future,” she said. “It’s great to know this type of stuff in life.”

Chloe Gibson, 18, is a welder and is working on improving in every process. She got a job at Pyrotech Racing and is excited to get started. One big goal for her is to open her own welding business, and she is also interested in opening an all-women welding gear brand.

“I like the community that it is, and how it sets you in the mentality that you can always do better or push yourself to be better than you were yesterday or the day before that,” she said.

Matthew Nonato, 17, wanted to see what welding was about and decided to stick with it.

“The stuff you can build with it. You play with fire, put two pieces of metal together with fire and heat, I think that’s the funnest part,” he said.

Nonato will be going to nationals for the SkillsUSA competition. He will also attend nationals for Project MFG.

“There’s a little bit of nerves, which is good, but at the same time I know what I can put down, and I know the capabilities I have,” he said. “I think at this point it’s gotten to a thing where it’s building confidence instead of being nervous and going there and knowing what I can do and just knowing what I know how to do.”