Manufacturing Day: High schoolers get first-hand glimpse of workforce jobs
Students from seven area high schools got an introduction to potential careers in manufacturing.
The Stark County Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership partnered with other business groups and 15 area companies to coordinate student tours Thursday at different manufacturing sites as part of a local Manufacturing Day project.
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Canton City Schools has 18 programs that teach students a skill, such as welding or construction, said Ben Carter, college and career tech educational director for the school district. Participating in the Manufacturing Day company visits shows students how those classroom skills are used.
"This helps them see the process go from a skill to an actual product," Carter said.
Seniors from McKinley High School's automotive tech and welding programs visited Stark Industrial in Green and Powell Electrical Systems in Lake Township. They learned about good-paying jobs that are available for those who have completed technical courses.
Stark Industrial uses precision machining equipment to cut metal parts for customers in a wide variety of industries, including food processing, aerospace and environmental control. McKinley students toured the plant and saw computerized machines that cut the parts.
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"This is making it relevant," Darryl Pringle, automotive instructor at McKinley, said of the tour. It also shows what students are learning in classrooms can be applied to multiple industries, he said.
What is the Stark County Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership?
Several local companies came together early in 2021 to form the Stark County Manufacturing Workforce Development Partnership. Stark Industrial was an early participant. The group has grown to 40 companies, and is aligned with the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Stark Economic Development Board, Cleveland-based MAGNET (Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network) and the Ohio Manufacturers Association.
Sam Wilkof, president of family-owned Stark Industrial, said the partnership wants to ensure there are trained workers available for future manufacturing jobs.
The area is home to 550 manufacturers and more than 26,000 people work in manufacturing jobs. The segment still plays an important role in the local economy, and accounts for more than 15% of the local and regional gross domestic product.
A goal for the partnership is to make certain that students understand there are jobs for skilled workers, Wilkof said. Tours such as those offered during Thursday's Manufacturing Day program show students there are opportunities.
"It at least has them thinking about what they want to do for a career," Wilkof said.
Along with McKinley, other districts taking part included Alliance, Louisville, Fairless, Minerva, East Canton and Sandy Valley high schools.
Participating companies included Qucikdraft and Ohio Gratings in Perry Township, Coastal Pet, PTC Alliance and Mac Trailer in Alliance, Lindsay Precast in Canal Fulton, Hendrickson International and Miller Weldmaster in Navarre, H-P Products and Midlake products in Louisville, M.K. Morse Co. in Canton and Fresh Mark facilities in Canton and Massillon.
Reach Edd at 330-580-8484 or edd.pritchard@cantonrep.com On Twitter: @epritchardREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Area companies offers high school students a look at manufacturing
