HASTINGS, Mich.- Tuesday, West Michigan high school students had the chance to explore job opportunities within the manufacturing industry.
The annual Discover Manufacturing event now in its sixth year attracted dozens of potential young workers to examine the "Elements of Manufacturing."
These production support roles include roles in purchasing, sales, marketing, accounting, quality and design/engineering.
At the event, students participated in a "round-robin" activity plus took a production tour where they could locate the elements of manufacturing hard at work.
"We show them not only the production side which is really our focus, says Andrew Walsh, Training and Development Coordinator at Flexfab. "We also talk about the support groups so that student can understand that a job in manufacturing might not just be production. It's a great avenue for the young students of the community."
Walsh says the exposure to modern facilities and technologies encourages students to pursue opportunities that don't require a college degree.
"Manufacturing is a vast career field and there are a lot of myths associated with manufacturing, like that it's a dark and dingy environment to work in. But we're debunking that."
Kim Martin, who is a Business Manager at the Barry County Chamber of Commerce also attended today's manufacturing event. She says the manufacturing industry is in need of workers, and she hopes that today's event has inspired kids who do not want to pursue a four year college degree to look at the many alternative career options companies like Flexfab have to offer.
"Sometimes kids think that when you walk into a company like Flexfab, you're just going to work on a floor, that you're going to put things together, but it's so much more than that."
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