# Filling the Skills Gap One Student at a Time w/ Matt Guse

- Show: [The Manufacturing Executive](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive)
- Published: 2021-05-25
- Length: 24m
- Episode: 50
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-05-25-filling-the-skills-gap-one-student-at-a-time-w-matt-guse
- Listen: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-manufacturing-executive#episode-4a034e33-6872-4461-b392-911ad75dc78e

## Summary

Matt Guse, President of MRS Machining Company, discusses his initiative to launch Cardinal Manufacturing, a student-run job shop inside Alva Strum High School in Wisconsin, to combat the skilled labor shortage. Guse explains how he partnered with teacher Craig Krakowski and secured equipment donations to create a program that teaches soft skills and professional habits alongside technical machining and welding. He highlights the program's success in providing debt-free education for students and reshaping the perception of manufacturing careers among Gen Z.

## Chapters

- [0:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-05-25-filling-the-skills-gap-one-student-at-a-time-w-matt-guse#t=47) Introduction: Matt Guse and MRS Machining
- [3:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-05-25-filling-the-skills-gap-one-student-at-a-time-w-matt-guse#t=219) Origin Story: From Failed Home School to High School Partnership
- [7:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-05-25-filling-the-skills-gap-one-student-at-a-time-w-matt-guse#t=447) Cardinal Manufacturing: A Student-Run Job Shop Model
- [13:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-05-25-filling-the-skills-gap-one-student-at-a-time-w-matt-guse#t=809) Teaching Soft Skills and Building Culture
- [18:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-05-25-filling-the-skills-gap-one-student-at-a-time-w-matt-guse#t=1113) Recruiting Gen Z and Overcoming Industry Stereotypes
- [19:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-05-25-filling-the-skills-gap-one-student-at-a-time-w-matt-guse#t=1191) Advice for Manufacturers: Community Engagement and Creativity

## Topics

- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- MRS Machining Company (company)
- Cardinal Manufacturing (product)
- Alva Strum High School (other)
- Gorilla 76 (company)
- American Machinist (other)
- Modern Machine Shop (other)
- Chippewa Valley Technical College (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [210: Technical Education, Apprenticeships, and Addressing the Needs of Industry Today and in the Future with Ashley Furniture and Western Technical College](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-11-05-210-technical-education-apprenticeships-and-addressing-the-needs-of-industry-tod) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Leading the New American Manufacturing Renaissance with Andrew Crowe](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-30-leading-the-new-american-manufacturing-renaissance-with-andrew-crowe) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [159: How Career & Technical Education (CTE) is Impacting Smart Manufacturing with Kent Powell of Amatrol](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-10-31-159-how-career-technical-education-cte-is-impacting-smart-manufacturing-with-ken) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [How Matric Group is Reimagining US Manufacturing for Tomorrow's Challenges with Patrick Stimpert](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-05-06-how-matric-group-is-reimagining-us-manufacturing-for-tomorrows-challenges-with-p) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [196: The Skills CNC Machinists Need that You WON'T Learn in Trade School!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-07-30-196-the-skills-cnc-machinists-need-that-you-wont-learn-in-trade-school) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-05-25-filling-the-skills-gap-one-student-at-a-time-w-matt-guse. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Manufacturing Executive.