In celebration of Manufacturing Month, Northern Kane County Region 110 joined forces with the Alignment Collaborative for Education, school districts 300, 301, 303, U-46, the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Industrial Committee, and the Greater Chicago Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (GCAMP) to spotlight the dynamic manufacturing industry in the Fox Valley region. What began three years ago with a small group of students from St. Charles 303 visiting three companies has grown into a robust event featuring 21 local manufacturing companies, welcoming over 500 high school students from across the region. Each student group had the unique opportunity to tour two companies, gaining firsthand insight into the world of advanced manufacturing.
The participating companies, each a leader in their field, included:
Advanced Compressor, Dec Tool* Matrix Design, AFC Industries, Elgin Sweeper, Mazak*, AJR Filtration ,General Kinematics, McFona, Babbitting Services , Harting America, Pactiv Evergreen, Bucher Hydraulics, Hoffer Plastics, Sauber, Camcraft, ITW Shakeproof, Sodick*, Compact Industries, Lakeview Precision, Tek-Pak.
*= GCAMP Champions
Following the tours, students shared their insights through a post-tour feedback survey, which highlighted the impact of the experience. Before the tours, 64% of respondents reported limited knowledge of careers in manufacturing, engineering, technology, and trades. Post-tour, 77% of these students felt they had gained a solid understanding of the opportunities in these fields, and 70% said they would now consider pursuing a career in manufacturing, engineering, technology, or trades.
Additional survey results included:
•91.7% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they have a positive perception of careers in manufacturing, engineering, technology, and trades.
•82.2% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that careers in these fields are safe.
•77% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that these careers are in clean work environments.
•78% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that employees in these sectors need to be highly skilled.
•86.4% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that careers in these fields are well-paying.
Region 110 and its partners extend their sincere gratitude to the companies who opened their doors to welcome and inspire the next generation of workers in manufacturing. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from students underscores the value of these tours in shaping their understanding and perception of the industry, revealing that manufacturing can be a rewarding and viable career path.
