Bert's Alerts—Jan. 5, 2018

Surrounded by the rhythmic hum of CNC machines at Rekluse, Boise motorcycle parts manufacturer, Dan Thompson cuts a friction disc, for a clutch, out of aluminum using a carbide tool to within half the thickness of a human hair. “Piece of cake,” he says with a smile.

Thompson, a graduate from College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Machine Tool Technology Program in 2017, has been working at Rekluse for close to a year. He started at the company during his second year at the College.

“We like to get students after the first year of CWI’s program,” said Rekluse President, Sean Brown. “Students spend the morning taking classes and in the afternoon they come work for us, so when they graduate they’ve got the schooling and on the job training they need.”

Before Thompson started his training at CWI, he worked as a firefighter, furniture mover, and welder.

“I like working with my hands,” he said.

As coolant splashes over the carbide tool as it cuts—carbide is a strong metal used to make industrial cutting tools as well as ski poles and surgical tools—Thompson watches through a clear protective screen as the tool sinks into the metal. He blocks out the sounds from the shop to focus on his CNC machine. Once he gets the machine dialed in, a robot repeats the same process multiple times and he moves to another CNC machine to work on a different part.

“As a machinist, a lot of the stuff you do you can’t see, so you listen for it,” said Thompson. “I can hear when the tool is cutting the material properly.” These are the skills he learned while studying his craft with Dave Sperry, an associate professor in the Machine Tool Program at CWI. 

Sperry was impressed with how quickly Thompson developed a fluency in the computer programming needed as a CNC operator and his ability to stay focused under pressure.

“He was a really good test taker, he didn’t freak out,” said Sperry.

This concentration helped Thompson win a gold medal at the SkillsUSA Championships this past June, in Louisville, Kentucky.

More than 6,000 high school and post-secondary students from around the nation competed in 100 hands-on trade, technical, and leadership games, according to the event’s website. Sperry, who also dedicates time as a SkillsUSA advisor, worked with Thompson to prepare for the CNC Milling Specialist event during the competition and develop strategies for efficiently completing the test. Success at SkillsUSA provided Thompson with a great launching pad for his new career.

With past jobs, Thompson had unconventional hours, limiting time spent with his wife and two children. In his new role, he works traditional hours during the week. The company is flexible with his schedule, so he has more time to spend with his family. 

Rekluse, founded in 2002 by Al Youngwerth, is a company specializing in clutches for motorcycles. They sponsor some of the best motocross riders in the world and are based in Boise. The company’s facility is a one-stop shop with all aspects of production, from design concept to shipping finished products, centered in a nondescript building along West Franklin Road. 

“Our founder Al, realized very quickly we had to manufacture the product for ourselves,” Brown said. “If we wouldn’t have done that, I don’t think we would be where we are at today - manufacturing our product in Boise is a fundamental aspect of our business.”

Students like Thompson are a great fit for the company and shine in the creative environment, collaborating with engineers to improve production.

“We can process a part from start to finish a lot faster because of the lines of communication we have with our engineers,” he said.

Innovative businesses, like Rekluse, are critical to the continued growth of the Treasure Valley. Thompson’s investment in his education provided the foundation he needed to explore a new opportunity in a rewarding field, ultimately leading him to a career with a fantastic company.

Encountering an active shooter situation is an unfortunate reality members of law enforcement face on a daily basis and College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Law Enforcement Program takes this potential threat seriously.

Nineteen students recently participated in an active shooter training at the Canyon County Center. This scenario-based training – provided to every Law Enforcement student at the College – incorporates team movement, emergency communications, suspect containment, arrest techniques, and first aid with gunshot wound care. For three hours, multiple active shooter situations are successfully brought to life with the assistance of highly-skilled instructors and dedicated role players.

“This type of training goes well above what most recruits will see at this level,” commented Program Director, LeRoy Forsman. “We feel strongly our students need to be prepared for significant critical incidents.”

Jason Cantrell, an instructor in the CWI Law Enforcement Program, serves as the lead instructor for the training.

“As a father and member of this community, my biggest fear is a school shooting,” he said. “I want to do everything in my power to make sure, if that day ever comes, the school and community are prepared.”

Cantrell, who is also the SWAT Team Commander and Sergeant over the Training Division at the Nampa Police Department, said this ongoing partnership between local law enforcement and CWI is beneficial to the College.

“I want to be an influence in the students’ lives,” he said. “As an officer who still responds to calls and is involved in the ever-changing criminal element, I can help ensure program training and instruction continue to stay relevant and up-to-date.”

Additionally, Cantrell pointed out the value this type of training is to local law enforcement agencies and the surrounding community.

“We hope to hire some of the great students who come from CWI,” he said. “A good police officer is so valuable to the community. If I can help CWI students better prepare as officers, I have accomplished my goal.”

Role players this time around included “active shooters”, Sean Krone and Josh Teuscher, graduates from class two of the CWI Law Enforcement Program, and 18 students from CWI’s Emergency Medical Services Program who volunteered to spend the afternoon running, screaming, and faking injuries as actors in the scenarios. 

“Mr. Reid and Chief Forsman like to bring us back to help train,” said Krone. “We’ve been through it before, so we understand the stresses the students are going through. Additionally, it keeps us invested in the law enforcement community.”

Krone said the best part of being involved was seeing the students learn from their mistakes and improve.

“It is a fun training!” he said. “Even knowing what was happening, as one of the actors, I was still getting hyped up.”

The reality of encountering an active shooter situation is frightening, but thanks to the training CWI’s Law Enforcement students receive, they are better prepared to act in the face of such a threat and protect those they serve within the community.

College of Western Idaho's (CWI) Education students in Assistant Professor, Scott Straub's, EDUC 200 – Education Around The World and EDUC 280 – Teaching and Field Experience classes, brought in school supplies to help families in need during the holiday season.

Approximately 100 items were collected during the last week of fall semester including items such as markers, binders, colored pencils, paper, pens, headphones, and notebooks. These supplies were then generously donated to the City Light Home for Women and Children in Boise on Dec. 21. The City Light shelter offers a safe haven of hope and love, providing emergency services such as meals, shelter, and clothing, as well as education, work-search assistance, mental health counseling, and addiction recovery.

"So many items were collected in such a short amount of time, and our Education majors were so motivated to contribute that we want to massively expand this effort in future semesters", commented Straub. "There is such a need for educational supplies for children around the valley, and our own students here at CWI are very eager to participate in programs that help others who are struggling."