People Driven Growth

Bemidji-based precision manufacturer Wells Technology offers one of Minnesota manufacturing’s most compelling workforce development stories. A full-length feature in the upcoming issue of Enterprise Minnesota® magazine traces how the company built a 54-employee operation that serves customers including NASA, the Department of Defense, and BAE Systems by growing its own talent.

Andy Wells, Sr., founder and CEO of the company, developed a workforce strategy rooted in his own experience growing up on the Red Lake Reservation, where poverty was the norm and encouragement from others made all the difference.

Wells studied physics at Bemidji State University and pursued a career in manufacturing, serving as a designer at Polaris and at a supplier of innovative air-powered tools for the food processing industry. In 1989, at the age of 45, he started his own company to manufacture precision components. His personal history touches every aspect of the workforce.

At the heart of the skill development effort is Wells Academy, a nonprofit apprenticeship program the company launched not long after its 1989 founding. The Academy provides 2,000 hours of CNC operator machine training, paying the students as they learn.

Wells Academy focuses on predominantly non-traditional candidates, says Tim Knudson, vice president of marketing at Wells Technology, who helps recruit students and acts as a mentor. Some of the students left high school without a diploma or are single mothers with young children. Others may have been incarcerated for a time or have dealt with addiction issues in the past. Many come from one of the three local Native American reservations, where widespread poverty impacts educational and professional opportunities.

“We don’t shut our doors to someone just because they’ve had challenges in life,” Knudson says. “We believe that with the right support and guidance, they can thrive and act on their desire to do better and to be productive.”

Guidance continues when students complete their coursework. If a student is hired at Wells Technology, they’ll be assigned a mentor as they ease into apprenticeship, with supervisors actively helping smooth the transition.

“With a non-traditional workforce, employees may not know what’s expected of them, and managers might not understand some of the challenges or trauma that these employees have faced and are still dealing with,” says Wells. To support that, the company maintains a quiet room near the production floor so managers and supervisors can talk with employees and apprentices about expectations and concerns.

Building cultural sensitivity and camaraderie happens in the break room too, says James King, a supervisor who grew up on the Red Lake Reservation and still lives in that community. “Some of the Native apprentices can be a little shy and humble, and they might sit alone when they’re first here,” he explains. “I help get them out of their shell and encourage them to talk with others so they feel part of the team.”

Even those who choose not to stay with Wells Technology after completing Wells Academy get resources in the form of resume assistance, letters of support, and referrals to employers, says Wells.

“Investing time and effort into training and supporting employees isn’t just about what drives our business,” Wells says. “This is about community and even humanity.”

Look for the full article in the Summer 2026 issue of Enterprise Minnesota magazine, scheduled for publication in late May.

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