NORFOLK – Northeast Community College will host an event this fall that will showcase the many prospects available in the manufacturing industry. Manufacturing (MFG) Day will be held on Thursday, October 26, in the Applied Technology building on the Northeast campus in Norfolk. Manufacturing program labs at the College will be open from 12-8 p.m., with Northeast students operating nearly all technologies in the department.
“This is a nationwide event that focuses on bringing current manufacturing technologies to the public and creating an awareness of the role that manufacturing and related occupations now hold to support our nation’s economy,” said Steve Wagner, diversified manufacturing technology instructor. “We are positioned to train the next generation of manufacturing technicians for careers that are in demand, require advanced skills and offer very good salaries.”
Wagner said this new generation of skilled technical careers will be involved in some “amazing” applications such as additive manufacturing (3D Printing), robotics automation and integration, and computer aided manufacturing and design in nearly all aspects of industry.
Representatives from area manufacturing companies will be present at Northeast to answer questions about their role in manufacturing and to discuss some of the career opportunities they have.
Wagner said the goal of MFG Day 2017 is to get students in grades 5-12, teachers, counselors, parents and the public to celebrate the advances in manufacturing technology and to be introduced to the variety of opportunities a manufacturing career has to offer.
“This is also a great opportunity for the non-traditional student or people seeking career growth to explore some possibilities that hold some great potential. In addition, this event offers women a look at what has previously been considered a male dominated career field. We see women in all areas of manufacturing operations, engineering and leadership having very successful careers.”
Wagner said Northeast Community College is doing its part to address the increasing need for highly skilled technical careers through its Diversified Manufacturing Technology program, in the areas of CNC (Computer Numerical Control) programmers and operators, machinists, robotics and quality technicians, among others.
During the Northeast event, MFG DAY t-shirts will be presented to the first 50 students to arrive. Guests can be a part of the processes used in the manufacturing of a chess set designed and built by the Hawks Manufacturing Club. The Club’s members are all students of the manufacturing program at Northeast. Refreshments will also be served.
“We really hope to see many parents with their students exploring the opportunities here at Northeast,” Wagner said.
Signs will be posted on Benjamin Avenue and Victory Road in Norfolk to direct participants to the Applied Technology building on the north end of the Northeast campus for the October 26 event.
To learn more about Manufacturing Day, visit www.mfgday.com. For more information, contact Wagner at (402) 844-7223 or stevew@northeast.edu.
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PHOTO CUTLINE
Student Andrew Olson, Norfolk, (left) shows Gary Hebb, controller at Continental in Norfolk, and Shawn Tillotson, associate dean of business and technology at Northeast Community College, aluminum cutouts of the College’s mascot, the Hawk, during the College’s Manufacturing (MFG) Day event in October 2016. MFG Day is an opportunity for manufacturers to highlight their work and to energize a future pipeline of skilled workers. Northeast Community College will hold its 2017 MFG Day event on Thursday, October 26, from 12-8 p.m., in the Applied Technology building on the Norfolk campus.