Governor's proclamation encourages students to find a future in manufacturing
Seventeen Elk Grove High School students were on hand Oct. 26 at WA The Diemasters, located in Elk Grove Village, as Joseph McKeown and Sacella Smith from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity presented a proclamation from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.
"Manufacturing has historically represented one of the largest economic sectors in Illinois, with an annual economic output of more than $580 billion and directly employing 9.5 percent of Illinois' total workforce," McKeown read from the governor's statement declaring October Manufacturing Month in the state of Illinois.
The Proclamation encouraged efforts, "designed to expand knowledge about and improve the general public perception of manufacturing careers and the industry's overall value to Illinois and our economy," and was presented to Dawn Curran, executive director of GCAMP, the Greater Chicago Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.
"Manufacturing can be a hidden industry," Curran said. "Manufacturers are prevalent throughout this region, but most of us never really notice their presence. In fact, it's likely that you drove past a manufacturer today without even realizing it."
GCAMP's aim is to peel back that curtain hiding manufacturing and expose students to the real-life career opportunities within this industry.
The Elk Grove High School students started their day at WA The Diemasters on the 26th with a hands-on activity given by CEO Emeritus Paul Rimington. The activity, slow and cumbersome for the students to accomplish by hand, demonstrated the need for technological advances in manufacturing to make parts quickly and accurately. Rimington emphasized that modern manufacturing depends on a combination of skilled workers and advanced technology to create the objects we need and use every day.
After the activity, Rimington led the students on a tour of the 80,000 square-foot facility, where they witnessed metal stamping, fabrication and assembly. WA The Diemasters produces over 250,000 metal parts daily. Along the way, Rimington gave impromptu interviews to many employees who shared how their interests, education, and experience led to their current positions in manufacturing. One employee noted that the students should be comfortable with math if they intend to pursue a career in manufacturing, "Manufacturing is math in motion," he said, "Everything is mathematical."
The tour also included an introduction of Matt Buchanan, an apprentice at WA The Diemasters. Just a couple of years older than most of the students on the tour, Buchanan was able to clearly explain to the students why he chose this field for a career and his excitement about being an apprentice. Through his apprenticeship, Matt is able to further his education, debt-free, and simultaneously gain work experience, all while earning a paycheck.
Students were encouraged to seek out more information on beginning their manufacturing career journey by checking out WA The Diemasters website, weiss-aug.com, or GCAMP's website, gcamp.org.
At the end of the day, we asked Buchanan for one final piece of advice for students looking to start a manufacturing career. He quickly responded, "If there's an opportunity, take it!"
GCAMP (Greater Chicago Advanced Manufacturing Partnership) is proud to be the charitable arm of the Valley Industrial Association. Founded in 2014 by the villages of Elk Grove, Schaumburg, and Hoffman Estates, GCAMP's goal is to build the manufacturing workforce of tomorrow, today. Its outreach efforts center around educating young people on the high-quality, high-skills, high-paying opportunities within the manufacturing field; dispelling the myths and negative stereotypes surrounding manufacturing; and highlighting the amazing work accomplished everyday by those who work in manufacturing. GCAMP's work is funded by the generosity of its manufacturing and municipal partners. To find out more, visit gcamp.org.