High school students across the region had the opportunity to connect with the manufacturing industry during the third annual Manufacturing Day, held last Thursday. The event, designed to showcase local job opportunities, featured tours and discussions at various companies, including Sargent Aerospace & Defense, FLSmidth & Co., AGM Container Controls, Evaero, ITDE, and Howmet Aerospace.
Following the company visits, participants convened at Pima Community College's new Advanced Manufacturing center where they enjoyed lunch, participated in career discussions, and took a guided tour of the college's facilities. This gathering also served as a platform for the Southern Arizona Manufacturing Partners, an industry-led coalition working in tandem with Pima County, to address the workforce needs in the local manufacturing sector. The event was realized through the collaboration of entities such as Pima County Community and Workforce Development, Pima County Economic Development, the Pima County School Superintendent’s Office, City of Tucson Economic Initiatives Office, and of course, Pima Community College.
The initiative is aimed at fostering connections between students and local manufacturers, to help fill the growing demand for skilled workers in the area. "The event is a key tool for the Southern Arizona Manufacturing Partners, an industry-led partnership with Pima County to fill the pipeline for local manufacturing jobs," according to the Pima County news release.
Manufacturing Day highlights the role of industry partnerships in shaping the future workforce and regional economy. It provides students who are nearing career decisions with an opportunity to learn about the manufacturing sector and explore local job options. This engagement between students and businesses is important for sustaining a skilled labor pool in manufacturing.
