American Crane hosts “Students Interacting with Business” program

American Crane and Equipment Corporation recently hosted two groups of local high school students as part of Berk’s Business Coalition’s “Students Interacting with Business” program.

The program is designed for students to learn about the culture of business and how businesses assess prospective candidates for employment.

The morning began with a demonstration by American Crane’s human resources department of good interview practices and what qualities employers look for in potential employees. Each day also included a tour of the plant’s facility and a description of the processes that occur daily on the manufacturing floor. The students learned about the operation of equipment including CNC vertical machine centers, gear hobbers, drum lathes, horizontal boring mills, hydraulic presses. They also observed areas designated for sandblasting, painting, material prep, and many other activities.

The students learned about the automation and sophisticated technology the machines use to tool parts. The students considered how each machine prepares a component that will eventually “live” on a crane or other lifting device. The tour helped students to understand the life cycle of a crane and other overhead lifting equipment from inception to installation.

In addition, the students were given a model-sized crane kit and asked to construct an overhead bridge crane and appoint a project manager to oversee the assembly. The students worked with accuracy and precision, assembling the crane in record time.

American Crane encourages students to learn about careers in manufacturing and is committed to promoting educational endeavors such as STEM, a program that encourages students to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Some school districts and educational programs have even re-coined STEM to include “Manufacturing” considering the strong math aptitude needed for machine operators and other skilled workers.