Marion County partners prepare to showcase manufacturing careers

October is Manufacturing Month in Kentucky. It is, in part, a time to highlight the career opportunities this vital industry sector offers throughout the state. Marion County is no exception, and a special event will introduce Marion County High School students not only to the manufacturing industry, but also to the manufacturing employers in their home county.

Manufacturing Day is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 16, at Marion County High School. Representatives from 11 local companies will be on hand to talk to students about:

• The products their companies manufacture
• The history of their companies
• The employment opportunities at their companies and the starting pay
• The skills and education those jobs require

“This event will show students the world of manufacturing and help them plan for the skills training and post-secondary education they need to secure employment and a self-sufficient wage,” said Terri Thomas, client services manager for Kentucky Career Center – Lincoln Trail in Lebanon.

Groups of students will rotate through employers’ stations set up in the school’s gymnasium. Throughout the presentations, students will be listening for the information needed to complete a list of questions. A completed list will earn them a chance to win employer-supplied door prizes.

“We want to ensure students are engaged, and we want them to realize they have great career opportunities right here in their hometown,” said Amy Riney, college and career counselor at Marion County Area Technology Center.

Thomas, who is heading up the event, credited community partners for their efforts. Those partners include Marion County Economic Development, TG Kentucky, the City of Lebanon, Marion County Area Technology Center, Marion County Schools and the district’s Community Educator and Family Resource/Youth Services Center.

Participating employers include American Wood Fibers, Fuel Total Systems, Hendrickson, Montebello Packaging, Kentucky Cooperage, RL Schreiber, TG Kentucky, JoyGlobal, Central Kentucky Tool, Alutrim/Angell Demmel and Wilbert Plastic Services.

In addition, a representative from Elizabethtown Community and Technical College will be on hand to discuss KY FAME, a partnership of regional manufacturers and educators that prepares students for a career in manufacturing through work-study training. Students will also have an opportunity to learn about Adecco’s Youth Employment Solutions (YES), a co-op program that enables 16- and 17-year olds to work in more advanced manufacturing settings.

“This truly is a community-wide effort,” Thomas said. “We’re excited so many employers and organizations are working together to put manufacturing in the spotlight.”