LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - High school students from Allen East, Bluffton, Delphos Jefferson and Shawnee got a glimpse into the world of manufacturing Wednesday afternoon.
Students toured local manufacturers including Grob, Novus and Rudolph Foods. Following the morning tours, they gathered at The HUB in Lima for demonstrations and presentations from local industry professionals. The event was part of a $179,000 grant through the Ohio STEM Learning Network to support manufacturing curriculum and related events.
"Kids need to know what opportunities they have, and not only the opportunities as far as going to work at a factory, but what are the other jobs and professions that are involved in manufacturing," said Barbara Duval, curriculum supervisor at the Allen County Educational Service Center.
“They got the opportunity to expand their horizons a little bit and just see what opportunities there are available in the area. Lima offers a lot of great opportunities for kids to go into a lot of different career fields. It's important for kids just to see what's all out there for them,” said Jason Hemmelgarn, a teacher at Shawnee High School.
One of the day's lectures focused on cybersecurity and social engineering, which is increasingly being used to hack production systems.
"We discussed how cybersecurity plays a role in a manufacturing environment. With the time permitted, we mostly discussed social engineering tactics, and how to get into a factory without even using a device and it still being considered 'hacking,'" said Trystahn Eyerly, technology assistant for the Bluffton school district.
Organizers say they are working on building a curriculum that will invite students to The HUB and give them the opportunity to further explore careers in STEM, while earning industry-recognized credentials.
