NEWBERG, Ore. — Newberg High School welcomed close to 1,300 students this year — and some of them are on track to graduate with real-life skills that translate directly into jobs and college credits.
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Over the next nine months, Newsberg will feature one of the nine career and technical education (CTE) pathways offered at Newberg High, including culinary management, carpentry and construction, agricultural technology, business, digital arts, education, medical sciences, performing arts, and integrated manufacturing.
This month’s feature highlights Tiger Manufacturing, a full-service, student-led business that operates within the high school in its own machine shop, producing metal parts for local companies.
After completing Engineering Processes 1 and 2, juniors and seniors can enter the college-credit-applicable Tiger Manufacturing machining courses. Students can also take classes in computer-assisted design (CAD), design engineering, and machining to learn 3D printing and robotics before advancing to the Tiger Manufacturing internship class, where they earn minimum wage.
The program now has six computer numerical control (CNC) machines, 17 students enrolled, and a client list that include A-dec Dental Equipment and A.R.E. Manufacturing.
This pathway leads to independent study and real-world experience through internships and skilled trades employment at local manufacturers.
“Tiger Manufacturing has been around for a while, partners with area manufacturers, and is all student-run,” said Janelle Jackson, postsecondary success coordinator at the NHS College and Career Center. “There’s a student CEO and CFO, and they have to work with our district’s financial staff. All types of kids are totally welcome.”
Safety is a priority when operating large machinery. Lesson plans and safety guides line the walls so students can independently refresh their knowledge before operating equipment.
Patrick Verdun, one of the school’s CTE teachers, runs the CAD, 3D printing, and Tiger Manufacturing programs. He said students manage every aspect of the business — from invoicing and payroll to quality control and shipping.
A.R.E. Manufacturing co-founder Alvin Elbert helped establish the Tiger Manufacturing program, which gives students a direct pathway to internships. Verdun said the program began about eight years ago with just eight students and one CNC machine.
Now, the program manufactures parts for Newberg’s largest manufacturing enterprise.
Jordan Beanblossom, head of communications at A-dec, said his company regularly uses parts produced by Tiger Manufacturing.
“We have very high standards for suppliers, so it speaks volumes that the students are able to produce parts that make it through our Supplier Quality Engineering inspections,” Beanblossom said. “We’ve been a supporter and cheerleader of the program since it started.”
Beanblossom said A-dec has donated equipment to the program as its own shop upgraded. When Tiger Manufacturing was displaced in 2022 during construction of the new high school facility, Tiger Manufacturing found a temporary home at A-dec’s sister company Austin Industries.
“We just need those skilled manufacturing career paths,” Beanblossom said. “It’s such a huge need — not just for us, but across the state. Oregon is a big manufacturing state, but it’s lost some ground in recent years. We’re trying to help get it back on track and make it friendlier for manufacturing businesses to set up and stay here.”
He said Tiger Manufacturing gives students valuable hands-on experience.
“This program is fantastic. They’ve done a phenomenal job putting it in place,” Beanblossom said. “It’s great for kids to not only make things but learn how to run a business. They should feel really proud of the quality products they’re putting out for their customers.”
Verdun agreed that Tiger Manufacturing provides an experience few programs can match.
“Kids get real-world experience running CNC equipment and manually programming CAD/CAM software,” Verdun said. “They handle quality control and all aspects of running a business. It’s pretty training-intensive, which limits how many we can take — but they earn minimum wage, we treat it like a real business.”
Verdun said the program already has several success stories, including a former student CEO who earned major scholarships to attend Oregon State University and another student who now works as a lead engineer at GK Machine in Donald.
“We have a bunch of kids studying mechanical engineering at Oregon State,” Verdun said. “Some went straight into the workforce — several still work for Alvin. Many complete summer internships with him and come back that much more prepared for senior year.”
Next, Verdun said, the program is applying for grants and exploring opportunities to open enrollment to sophomores for additional experience. Eventually, he hopes to replicate the program in other communities and build greater local involvement.
“One thing I really like about CTE is that it’s so inclusive,” Jackson said. “It doesn’t matter your skills or background — you can always find something to do and be a part of.”
Correction Oct. 14 at 8:47 a.m. — The original article stated Tiger Manufacturing worked at A-dec when they were displaced during construction in 2022. They were actually placed at Austin Industries. Newsberg regrets the error.
