Students learn about manufacturing careers
Representatives from local industries got a chance to meet members of their future workforce Friday during the third Neshoba County Manufacturing Day.
Conversely, the eighth-graders and juniors at Choctaw Central, Neshoba Central, Philadelphia and Union high schools were able to look ahead and consider where they might want to work one day.
Manufacturing Day put all pieces of the workplace puzzle under the same roof. The schools bused different groups of students in and out throughout the day.
Manufacturing representatives from Yates Construction, the Taylor Group, Weyerhaeuser, Wells Lamont, Choctaw Gloves, McLain Plumbing and Electric, and other companies were there to tell students about their companies, what they do and the job skills their workers needed.
East Central Community College was there to advise students about the training programs and certificates they could earn while attending school that would help them find a job.
“We are here, showing these students the different opportunities and what all of our programs have to offer,” said East Central representative Jordan Robinson who teaches in the Automation and Control Technology program.
“Each one of our programs probably has a student working with these industries. I have a student working at Weyerhaeuser right now.
“It is an opportunity to share that we have students who leave our programs and are able to find jobs here with our manufacturers,” Robinson said.
Davis Taylor, director of Sudden Services Inc. with the Taylor Group, said his company wants the students to be aware of what the company does and the careers they can find.
“The major thing is to tell kids what they have right here,” Taylor said. “So many times, we see as soon as seniors graduate, they move to other areas. They are trying to figure out what they need to do next.
“We are here today to give the students a jump start and show they what all we do. There are so many that come to us after they graduate and start their careers.”
Dana McLain, assistant principal at Neshoba Central, said that was the purpose of Industry Day. She said approximately 840 students were expected to attend Manufacturing Day.
“This gives them the exposure of what our community has to offer,” McLain said. “There are so many skills our students can train for such as HVAC, plumbling, construction to name a few. They can learn skills they will use for the rest of their lives.
“That will make them more marketable and competitive when they get ready to apply for those jobs.
“Neshoba County is a unique place where we have such opportunities from these very successful business leaders. These students need to know what we have here in our very backyard, to help them to be successful and to keep that talent at home when they graduate.”