On Friday, October 14, high school students in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties participated in the 10th Annual Manufacturing Day by touring manufacturing facilities across the region, learning about the array of products that are made right here in the North Country, and discovering the variety of career possibilities available in industry.
Manufacturing Day is a national initiative spearheaded by the Manufacturing Institute. It is traditionally the first Friday in October, but events are generally planned throughout the month, and/or whenever there is an opportunity to interest the next generation of manufacturers in careers that will advance US manufacturing.
In this part of the region the effort is coordinated through Jefferson County Economic Development and St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES. Other organizations participate by communicating with manufacturing facilities and schools. This effort resulted in around 25 schools touring 20 different facilities in the area. Something like 650 students seeing career possibilities close to home. The Watertown Daily Times reported that Eliza VanDerwalker, 16, a junior at Lyme Central School, came away with an interest in manufacturing after the tour at EZStak. “It made me want to do the job,” she said.
That is exactly the point of the exercise. To make sure that high school graduates know that there are great opportunities in manufacturing right here close to home.
A different kind of Manufacturing Day event is planned in Plattsburgh in November. Area manufacturers will bring demonstrations for high school students to the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing at Clinton Community College. 500 students are expected to participate.