3 Women Graduate from Machine Operation Training Program

Program aims to get more women in non-traditional fields

DULUTH, Minn. – Three local women recently completed a program through SOAR Career Solutions and Lake Superior College where they learned job skills in machine operation.

The three women graduated in a special ceremony at Duluth City Hall.

Their program was created under the Women’s Economic Security Act to train more women in non-traditional career fields.

“It’s not just me that’s graduating, it’s the first foot forward in a non-traditional job and that’s what appealed to me to begin with,” said Bonnie Dominguez, one of the program’s graduates.

SOAR Career Solutions encourages more women to enter the program in the future.

They stress that everybody should look for a field that interests them even if obstacles stand in the way.

“We see it as a win obviously for our clients who are going to gain some skills so they can go out and be employed but also for manufacturers in town who, from what we hear, are in a labor shortage and they’re looking for more folks to bring in,” said Jason Beckman, Program Director at SOAR. “We figure the more we can train, the more they can use them.”

A representative from Superior-based Ravin Crossbows was at the ceremony with applications for the recent graduates.