Employers open doors for a first-hand look at modern manufacturing

By West Michigan Works!

Manufacturers throughout West Michigan are gearing up for community open houses and student tours that will showcase their facilities and career options. The tours are part of Manufacturing Week 2018, which runs from Oct. 1-5, 2018. More than 100 manufacturers are expected to host more than 1,000 students during this year’s event.

According to Talent 2025’s 2017 West Michigan Talent Assessment and Outlook, manufacturing is the largest industry in West Michigan, accounting for more than 20 percent of all jobs in the region. Manufacturing has added more than 38,000 jobs since 2009, a growth rate of 33.3 percent.

Manufacturing Week is part of the nationwide Manufacturing Day® movement, created to change people’s outdated images of the industry and to inspire the next generation of manufacturers.

“My freshmen students are able to experience and observe modern technology and equipment at Dicastal — one of the world’s cleanest foundry environments, which is only 20 miles from their homes,” said Jeff Mercer, a teacher with Tri County Area Schools.

“Dicastal could have built their beautiful plant anywhere in the world, and they chose Montcalm County. Manufacturing Week shows students that they have abundant opportunities in their own backyard.”

“Collaborating with manufacturers [during Manufacturing Week] shows students all of the countless career opportunities available in manufacturing,” said Angie Huyghe, finance and human resources manager at Swoboda, Inc., a Manufacturing Week participant since 2015.

Students aren’t the only ones invited to Manufacturing Week activities. The following Grand Rapids-area events open to the community: