COON RAPIDS, Minn. -- With one in seven jobs, manufacturing is the backbone of Minnesota's economy, contributing around $40 billion each year to the state, but there's a desperate need for skilled workers.
A first of its kind manufacturing expo will take place later this month and organizers hope to raise awareness about the manufacturing industry and wipe away the stigma that has long accompanied its jobs.
"Too often students just go, 'I'm not interested', but they don't know why," said Matt Salo with Anoka-Ramsey Community College. "What we're finding is that most high school students, even middle school students, just don't know what manufacturing companies do."
That's one of the reasons Anoka-Ramsey Community College, The City of Coon Rapids and the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to bring a manufacturing expo to town.
John LeTourneau is the Director of Manufacturing with the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce. He said, "We have an opportunity now to share a story about how today's manufacturing is so different and it's so viable and it's just a wonderful and amazing environment that should be considered by a lot of different students."
Local companies like Pentair are on board with what is trying to be accomplished through this expo and beyond because for them, they have the jobs, but are finding a shortage in qualified workers.
Tina Robinson, Value Stream Manager with Pentair, revealed, "With us and our workforce here, we're looking at people who are ready to retire, ready to go on with their lives and we need people that are talented and individuals to back fill those positions."
"It's that whole thing, if we can get these skilled workers in place, we're really going to see a tremendous growth in this industry," said Salo, who serves as ARCC's Biomedical Market Development Manager and Program Advisor.
In addition to bridging the gap between industry and education, expo organizers also hope to prove that today's manufacturing isn't your grandparents' manufacturing.
"The more we talk about what manufacturing is like and eliminate the 'used to be' talk, I think we'll get away from the stigma," said Jon Olson, Director of Professional and Workforce Training at ARCC.
X-Games Gold Medalist and Minnesotan Mike Schultz will be at the expo to share his story of how manufacturing was a crucial component to his invention of the Moto Knee, which is what got him back on his snowmobile after a 2008 accident caused him to lose his leg.
The Manufacturing Expo will take place on Tuesday, October 22, from 6-9 p.m. at Anoka-Ramsey Community College's Legacy Room.
It is free and open to the public.
For more information, check out the college's website: www.anokaramsey.edu/BMED
(Copyright 2013 by CTN Studios. All Rights Reserved.)
A first of its kind manufacturing expo will take place later this month and organizers hope to raise awareness about the manufacturing industry and wipe away the stigma that has long accompanied its jobs.
"Too often students just go, 'I'm not interested', but they don't know why," said Matt Salo with Anoka-Ramsey Community College. "What we're finding is that most high school students, even middle school students, just don't know what manufacturing companies do."
That's one of the reasons Anoka-Ramsey Community College, The City of Coon Rapids and the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to bring a manufacturing expo to town.
John LeTourneau is the Director of Manufacturing with the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce. He said, "We have an opportunity now to share a story about how today's manufacturing is so different and it's so viable and it's just a wonderful and amazing environment that should be considered by a lot of different students."
Local companies like Pentair are on board with what is trying to be accomplished through this expo and beyond because for them, they have the jobs, but are finding a shortage in qualified workers.
Tina Robinson, Value Stream Manager with Pentair, revealed, "With us and our workforce here, we're looking at people who are ready to retire, ready to go on with their lives and we need people that are talented and individuals to back fill those positions."
"It's that whole thing, if we can get these skilled workers in place, we're really going to see a tremendous growth in this industry," said Salo, who serves as ARCC's Biomedical Market Development Manager and Program Advisor.
In addition to bridging the gap between industry and education, expo organizers also hope to prove that today's manufacturing isn't your grandparents' manufacturing.
"The more we talk about what manufacturing is like and eliminate the 'used to be' talk, I think we'll get away from the stigma," said Jon Olson, Director of Professional and Workforce Training at ARCC.
X-Games Gold Medalist and Minnesotan Mike Schultz will be at the expo to share his story of how manufacturing was a crucial component to his invention of the Moto Knee, which is what got him back on his snowmobile after a 2008 accident caused him to lose his leg.
The Manufacturing Expo will take place on Tuesday, October 22, from 6-9 p.m. at Anoka-Ramsey Community College's Legacy Room.
It is free and open to the public.
For more information, check out the college's website: www.anokaramsey.edu/BMED
(Copyright 2013 by CTN Studios. All Rights Reserved.)
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