Whitewater High School students will soon have expanded access to robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence through the new Generac Innovation Center. The lab is being made available through a partnership between Generac and the Whitewater Unified School District. It will support hands-on learning in engineering, manufacturing, and computer science.
“By providing students hands-on experience with industry-standard robotics and automation, Generac is strengthening STEM career readiness and creating opportunities for students,” said Generac Community Programs Manager Kelly Skindzelewski. “We are proud to power up education and inspire the next generation through this partnership.”
The Generac Innovation Center is part of the district’s career and technical education renovation and expansion project at WHS, made possible through the spring 2025 community referendum. The center will connect classroom learning to workplace applications and help students develop skills needed for manufacturing and engineering careers. Students will see a direct connection between their classroom learning and local industry, reinforcing career pathways and helping them develop relevant, job-ready skills.
The Generac Foundation is providing a $200,000 donation to help secure equipment for the center, which is expected to be completed by September. The sponsorship will fund FANUC ER-4iA fenceless industrial robots and Niryo Ned 2 robotic arm systems with vacuum pumps, conveyors, and vision systems. It will also feature a robotics lab and a dedicated area for robotics activities and practice space for the school’s FIRST robotics team.
“Partnerships like this create opportunities that schools cannot provide alone,” said WUSD Career and Technical Education Coordinator Michael Rick. “This investment is not just in equipment or a facility. It is also an investment in our students, their futures, and the continued growth of the Whitewater community.”
Generac has a manufacturing facility in Whitewater that employs more than 800 people.
“The Generac Innovation Center represents a generational investment in our students,” said WHS Principal Brent Mansky. “By mirroring today’s industrial environments, we are preparing students for their first jobs and for lifelong careers in rapidly evolving fields.”
About Generac
Generac is a total energy solutions company that empowers people to use energy on their own terms. Founded in 1959, Generac is a leading global designer, manufacturer, and provider of a wide range of energy technology solutions. The company provides power generation equipment, energy storage systems, energy management devices & solutions, and other power products and services serving the residential, commercial, data center, telecom, rental, and industrial markets. Generac introduced the first affordable backup generator and later created the automatic home standby generator category. The company’s broad portfolio of energy technology offerings for homes and businesses enables its mission to “Power a Smarter World” and lead the evolution to more resilient, efficient, and innovative energy solutions.
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Generac.
