LEIPSIC, OHIO (WLIO) - Putnam County students learn more about manufacturing jobs that are available in their backyard. During the 2nd annual Putnam County Manufacturing Day, 525 students from private and public schools in the county visited one or two different companies to learn more about their various career opportunities that are available.
Putnam County students learn more about manufacturing jobs that are available in their backyard.
Pro-Tec Associates showed the 8th grade students from Columbus Grove not only the jobs they do to make ultra-high-strength steel for the automotive industry, but the various skills that are needed to do those jobs.
“A lot of times the students don’t understand all the careers. They think of it as old-school manufacturing, just pieces and parts. Where here it is very technical, but anyone can be trained to do a lot of the jobs. So they come in saying, ‘Hey, I can do that’ or they find they’re interested in using their hands, so it’s more hands-on jobs versus sitting at a desk potentially. And they see things, and they say, ‘Oh, that looks like fun’,” says Shannon Shartell, Manager of Human Resource Pro-Tec.
The places they visited have jobs start at $18 an hour, and that is right out of high school.
There were 10 different manufacturers around Putnam County hosting the students this year.
“A lot of times you don’t need a college degree. You can go and get trained at the manufacturer that can be skills, basic skills. They can even get trained like at Apollo, and several of the manufacturers will even pay for the students to go and get a technical degree, whether it’s in mechanical or electrical, and they can advance at a manufacturer beyond just the entry-level job,” says Kim Schroeder, Workforce Partnership Putnam Co. Career Coach.
There were 10 different manufacturers around Putnam County hosting the students this year.
