Nov. 14, 2024

Classroom to Careers: Ferris State Welding student Ella Wanke has a job with Caterpillar lined up after Wisconsin internship

Welding has been in Ella Wanke’s wheelhouse for years – and will be for years to come.

The Ferris State University senior and Cheboygan native had a vivid internship experience with Caterpillar in Summer 2024, working on large-scale mining implements at the manufacturer’s South Milwaukee, Wisconsin facility.

“My direct supervisor was a Ferris graduate. There were two other alumni of the Welding Engineering Technology program who were close to our process,” Wanke said. “This project involved creating parts for implements that go to large-scale mining operations in Africa and Canada, where they would be assembled in the field. I was able to gain experience with Cobot, an automated welding system, but I never saw this kind of opportunity coming my way when I came to Ferris.”

Wanke’s experience with welding began through Career and Technical Education classes offered at her high school in Cheboygan.

“My father was a paraprofessional there and encouraged me to try it, and Ferris Welding Engineering Technology graduates were on hand to help me learn the basics,” she said.  

Wanke was encouraged to continue with welding and attend Ferris, where she progressed steadily through her coursework and continued her learning with internships each summer.

“I first worked at Morbark in Winn, in southern Isabella County. My second internship was with Tubefab, a Cheboygan company that manufactures tubing for the auto industry,” Wanke said. “Caterpillar did an informational visit to Ferris’ campus. I stayed in touch with them, applying for an internship. It looked like I might serve them at their Illinois Research Center. Still, the opportunity in South Milwaukee developed, where I assisted in component creation for a device called an electric rope shovel.”

During her internship with Caterpillar, Wanke said Ferris State welders were all around to boost her experience. 
Wanke said she gained insight by working with project leaders this summer, which aligns with search strategies Ella believes would work for any student pursuing an internship.

“I was assisting with welders and the engineers who were on site, which meant I could observe and experience the welding engineering process in every sense,” Wanke said. “That was what I focused on for the last year, and I was intentional about finding an opportunity that was right for me by talking to all kinds of representatives to make my best choice.”

Caterpillar is also happy with how things went this summer, offering her a job.  

“We have already made an agreement, so I will join the company after I graduate,” Wanke said. “Caterpillar’s value structure, emphasis on safety and corporate culture are very appealing to me.”

The Welding Engineering Technology program celebrates its 40th anniversary at Ferris State. It’s the largest program in the United States, with graduates who enjoy rewarding careers as innovators and leaders.

 Graduates from the WELE program in May 2022 entered the workforce with typical base starting salaries ranging from $70,000 to $85,000 annually. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports materials engineers, the grouping that includes welding engineers, present an estimated mean annual wage of $110,000.