Welding students from the Quentin Burdick Job Corps Center learned about the cutting edge technology used at Central Machining in Minot during a tour of the facility on Monday.

“I’ve been in here once before,” said welding student Jacob Libke, but there were new things being done that he hadn’t seen a few years ago, like digital programming and precision welding.

Welding student Jolene Benson said the level of knowledge on display at the business makes her want to work even harder in her classes at the Job Corps so she will be able to work in a place like it one day.

Libke, Benson and six other students were taking part in job shadowing as part of the Job Corps’ “Groundhog shadowing” week.

Job Corps Center Student Leadership Coordinator/Business Community Liaison Linn Dawson said other students will have the opportunity to shadow employees at many other businesses this week.

Job Corps students will visit Verendrye Electric, Minot Park District, Kevin’s Plumbing and Heating and the Minot Mayor’s Office today; at Balfour Beatty, Minot Lumber, VanWinkle Painting, Leroy’s Home, Bob’s Maintenance and Dakota Stone on Wednesday; Ruby Tuesday, Sevens, Badlands, Marketplace Foods and BJCC Kitchen on Thursday; the city manager’s office and the Ward County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday; and North West Tire, Tires Plus, Gooseneck Implement and Harry’s Tire on Friday.

Job shadowing can lead to future opportunities for the students, said Dan Valdez, the general manager at Central Machining.

“We’ve worked with the Job Corps for many years,” said Valdez.

Some Job Corps students will have the opportunity to do work and apply for jobs at Central Machining. Three or four employees are former Job Corps students. Valdez said that Daniel Edmond, an instructor at the Job Corps, formerly worked at Central Machining.

Other businesses also provide opportunities for Job Corps students to gain workplace experience through their labor.

Groundhog Job Shadow Day is an event held at other Job Corps Centers as well.