The misconceptions about working in manufacturing are difficult to break, but through a collaboration between four Columbus-based companies, modern manufacturers hope to crush the stigma.
“Most people think manufacturing is a dirty job — you go and get grease on you and do a lot with your hands and it’s hard labor,” said Juan Ardila, a Cummins Inc. material manager at Cummins Inc. “What we wanted to do was be able to create this view of the technology we have like robots and virtual reality and show students firsthand how we do things in the plant.”
In conjunction with National Manufacturing Day on Oct. 4, a day to designed to show the reality of modern manufacturing careers, Ardila and a group of employees from Cummins, Faurecia, NTN Driveshaft and Toyota Material Handling coordinated Columbus’ very own Manufacturing Day.
More than 350 students from eight area schools attended the day-long event Friday where they got an inside look at all four companies’ modern manufacturing facilities, participated in demos of processes including live welding, 3D printing and robotics, and networked with employers from manufacturing leaders across the state.
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From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., students from Bartholomew, Johnson, Jackson and Jennings counties explored their interests in a one-stop shop fashion. The goal was to introduce young people to the manufacturing sector and career opportunities while also demonstrating the contributions that manufacturing makes to the local economy.
About 200 students from Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.’s C4 program attended the Manufacturing Day event. C4 connects students from eight different school districts with real-world experiences through work-based learning.
“We want to expose our students to the world of manufacturing and highlight it as a high-tech, high-demand, high-wage career pathway,” said Autumne Streeval, C4 integration specialist. “A lot of our students are looking a little more seriously at what the different pathways with the manufacturers that are present. What’s unique about this event is it’s not just one company promoting itself.”
When Daltyn Coryea, a Columbus North High School senior, graduates in May, he eventually wants to pursue a career in mechanical engineering and robotics. He said Friday’s event was basically a tutorial for the workforce.
“It’s almost like a demo; we’re getting experience before we’ve even graduated so we know what to look for when we prepare for job interviews in the workforce,” Coryea said. “We’ll gain insight on what to expect when we apply for a job.”
Jolene Meek, Columbus North High School junior, wants to own her own welding rig one day. Being a female in the welding field, she said she’s able to break the stereotype and prove that it’s not just a “man’s field.”
Through her involvement in C4, Meek said she’s learned that there will always be people who will doubt her abilities, but she said there will also always be someone who helps her succeed.
That’s exactly the message Ardila said he wants to encourage through Manufacturing Day.
“This event allows us to create that connection with the community,” Ardila said. “We want to reach out to the future generation in the local area so they can know we are here to help them be successful in their career but also knowing they are going to help us to be successful as a business.”
The T+Rex Gym at Toyota Material Handling was lined with booths where students could stop to chat with local employers and professionals and even get their own hands on gadgets.
Greg Lynch, a mechanical engineering drafting trades associate at Cummins, assists with Cummins’ School-to-Work program. The program gives high school juniors and seniors and students pursuing a post-secondary education an opportunity to earn experience in a career field that they plan to pursue after graduation.
Students who stopped by Lynch’s booth Friday could build an animated engine using the company’s CREO software. When they finished, they each received a 3D-printed or laser-etched coin as a challenge token to prove they completed the task.
School-to-Work students work part-time at Cummins and develop their skills. From the program, students can advance to an apprenticeship and eventually earn a full-time job at Cummins.
“School-to-Work fits into many different departments, for example, cybersecurity, human resources, drafting and so much more,” said Ruben Vizcarra, a freshman at IUPUC studying mechanical engineering. Vizcarra, also in the School-to-Work program walked high school students through the CREO software Friday.
“It’s such a good program for seniors in high school to get experience early, get a head-start in the workforce and learn more about what they want to do in the future,” Vizcarra said. “If you can work and also study at the same time, why not?”
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Toyota Material Handling, Cummins Inc., Faurecia and NTN Driveshaft co-hosted the combined Columbus Manufacturing Day event Friday. The event is designed to open the doors of area manufacturers to give young people a chance to see modern manufacturing pathways.
Next year’s Columbus Manufacturing Day event is scheduled for Oct. 1-2, 2020. To learn more, go mfgday.com.
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