Manufacturing Day Event Goes Virtual for Jackson County Students

CNC Router Operator Spencer Plate, Alro Plastics, talks to students in the 2020 Virtual Manufacturing Day video.  JTV Photo.

(October 1, 2020 5:22 PM) Manufacturing Day will be celebrated a little differently this year for the fourth annual Jackson County Manufacturing Day. Instead of opening doors to hundreds of students this year, The Enterprise Group of Jackson, Inc. (EG) was the leader in the production of a virtual event for MFG Day that includes presentations, processes, and other great content from school representatives and our manufacturing partners.

As part of an effort to change perceptions about today’s manufacturing environment and draw attention to the outstanding opportunities that a career in manufacturing can provide; Alro Steel, Lomar Machine & Tool, Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc. (MACI), Technique, Inc., Jackson College, Northwest School District, along with JTV, have partnered with The Enterprise Group of Jackson, Inc. to coordinate the video, which all Jackson County Schools will be encouraged to share with their students this week, during Manufacturing Week, with the official MFG Day being Friday, October 2nd.

“Alro is proud to be part of MFG Day 2020, working with The Enterprise Group of Jackson along with Jackson area manufacturers and schools. We are looking to inspire the next generation to embrace careers in skilled trades,” said Brian Glick, Vice President of Business Development & Marketing at Alro Steel. “Modern manufacturing jobs are difficult to fill today due a shortage in skilled labor – we need to recruit students and showcase the opportunities available for stability and growth in the manufacturing industry.”

Also on Manufacturing Day, Pure Michigan Business Connect will host an Innovation Pitch Event highlighting preselected Michigan startups. This fully-virtual simulcast event will feature pitch competitions for Industry 4.0, Manufacturing Tech, and Clean Tech verticals. The event will be streamed live from the Lean Rocket Lab (downtown Jackson) and Centrepolis Accelerator on the campus of Lawrence Technological University, in partnership with Automation Alley on National Manufacturing Day – Friday, October 2nd at 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., with over $30,000 in prizes awarded. For more details or to register, visit their website at www.connect.space/innovation.

About Participating Organizations and Tour hosts: Jackson, Michigan’s official Manufacturing Day celebration has been made possible through a diverse cross-sector of participating organizations and companies over the last four years. Those companies are being honored in the video as well.

More information on Manufacturing Day is available at https://www.creatorswanted.org/