Local businesses open doors and introduce students to modern manufacturing careers
MUSKEGON: Machining/Engineering Tech and Welding Technologies students from the Muskegon Area Career Tech Center (MACTC) as well as interested students from Fruitport High School, Muskegon Heights Academy, and Orchard View High School were able to participate in West Michigan Discover Manufacturing Month during the month of October. Manufacturing Month is an extension of Modern Manufacturing Week, October 2–6, 2017. Events related to Manufacturing Month are intended to address common misperceptions about manufacturing.
Local businesses ADAC Automotive, Automatic Spring Products, Biosolutions, GE Aviation, Haworth, JR Automation Technologies, Lakeside Surfaces, Michigan Spring and Stamping, ReFab Metal Fab, Shape Corporation, Sherdel Sales and Technology, Stanco Metal Products, and Trans-Matic opened their doors to the students. Teens were able to tour facilities and enquire about job opportunities, salary, and educational requirements for employment.
Modern manufacturing environments are commonly thought of as low paying, repetitive, un-stimulating, unsafe, and an “old school” industry. Manufacturing Month addresses these misperception by allowing manufacturers to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing really is today.
-Most manufacturing programs have 100 percent job placement for students completing a one, two, or four-year manufacturing education program.
-Manufacturing careers offer endless opportunities and generally pay higher than similar jobs in other industries with salaries ranging from $35,000 to $60,000 annually.
-90 percent of manufacturing workers have medical benefits.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018, interested students throughout Muskegon County will be able to meet local manufacturing employers again during the MACTC’s Modern Manufacturing Day. For more information contact Placement Specialist Sasamon Parker at sparker@muskegonisd.org or 231-767-3607.
Contacts:
Sasamon Parker, Muskegon Area Career Tech Center Placement Specialist at 231-767-3607, sparker@muskegonisd.org
Stephanie Hoekenga, Muskegon Area Career Tech Center Outreach Specialist at 231-767-3613, shoekeng@muskegonisd.org
Jacob Loudermilk (Whitehall), Henry Vaillancourt (Mona Shores), Tyler Jibson, (Montague), and Roberto Tavares (Montague) work on a Shape Production System training exercise designed to teach lean manufacturing principles.
Dick Carter, Director of Product Engineering, gives Muskegon Heights Academy students a tour of Michigan Spring and Stamping