Students in Chris Inman’s machine shop class at Brandywine High School displayed their skills this past month at the regional and state competitions, taking home a number of prizes for their craftsmanship.

The competition is organized by the Michigan Industrial Technology Educational Society. Area high schools from Berrien  enter to compete against one another.

This year, 99 Brandywine students competed in the regional competition May 4 to May 6 — of those students, 76 advanced to the state competition May 10 to May 13.  Twenty of those students received awards in the top three of the competition.

“Students are really involved.” Inman said. “They get excited about it.”

While some beginning level students will enter class-required projects in the competition, Inman also encourages students at a more advanced level to enter their own projects.

“We encourage them to try and make tools, but also to be creative,” Inman said.

For students in Inman’s class, the skills taught will not just earn them awards.

The classes aim to provide the stepping-stones to an apprenticeship with local area machine shops, and hopefully a job.

This is a goal for William Davis, a junior, who has taken three years of machine shop classes and is now enrolled in Inman’s advanced class.

Davis was awarded second place at regionals and 10th place at the state competition for his creation of one-two-three blocks, created from cold rolled steel. The pair of blocks can be used for a number of precision inspection projects, including lining up tools. A good pair of blocks runs for around $150 a set.

“This is a career you can go far in and earn a lot of money in,” Davis said.

For students who want to create something with their own two hands, the machine shop classes give them the tools to do so without the regular rigors of the classroom.

“It gets you away from being in the classroom all day,” Davis said. “It is hands on. It is a free flowing work environment that is a lot more laid back than a classroom, but you still have to get your work done.”

Now, Davis is searching for an apprenticeship where he can continue to build his skills and possibly find a job opportunity.

Fellow junior Toby Latislaw has also found opportunities through the classes.

Latislaw also walked away from the state competition with an award, earning second place in state for the creation of his drill gauge, which is a tool used to sharpen a drill bit.

Latislaw is also looking for an apprenticeship, as is typical of many of Inman’s students.

“These guys basically have a job waiting for them in mold making or the tool and dye industry,” Inman said. “I have more companies looking for them than I have students to give them.”

Inman credits local area manufacturers for working with the school and helping to create opportunities for the students. Some of the area manufacturers are part of a committee called the Berrien Tooling Commission, which meets with Inman.

“We have a lot of support from industry,” Inman said. “We really could not do a lot of what we do, without their support. That and the school’s support.”

Additionally, students were offered $106,000 in scholarships from MIAT and Lincoln Tech this year. It is one of the highest amounts in scholarships compared to years past, Inman said.

“I am really proud of them [students],” Inman said.