Above: Hall Industries was among three LMMC members who visited local high schools this week for career presentations as part of Manufacturing Week, an annual event coordinated by our partners at Lawrence County School to Work. ELLWOOD and Berner International also participated as guest presenters at a combined 9 area schools
Manufacturing Day is a special annual opportunity to shine a spotlight on the diverse and rewarding careers available in the manufacturing industry.
This year, three local manufacturers of Lawrence Mercer Manufacturers Coalition – ELLWOOD, Berner International and Hall Industries – partnered with Lawrence County School to Work to bring manufacturing career awareness assemblies to nine high schools in Lawrence County.
Representatives from these manufacturers visited schools, presented real-world examples of careers, and answered students’ questions to encourage young people to consider manufacturing as a viable and exciting option after graduation. ELLWOOD, who’s been involved the longest in this annual School to Work event, visited six of the schools. Berner and Hall Industries participated for the first time this year.
Dave Douglass, operations manager at Hall Industries, shared the importance of events like these during his presentation at Union High School in New Castle. He was accompanied by a young machinist, Brandon Anderson, a recent vocational school graduate who’s already succeeding and on a fast-tracked manufacturing career at Hall.
“With some of the challenges facing manufacturing today, we really need to go firsthand to the schools, talk directly to the students, and let them know what a rewarding career this can be,” Douglass said. “We want to show them the benefits that come along with it—the competitive pay, the satisfaction of making tangible products, and the opportunities for advancement.”
Manufacturing is the second largest industry employer in Lawrence County, making up about 13 percent of the workforce and employing more than 3,500 people. But despite the industry’s impact and high earning potential, many students and their families are unaware of the local opportunities available to them.
Lori Connelly, a teacher at Union High School, noted that events like these assemblies are essential.
“Students need opportunities for information that they can use for their future,” she said. “A lot of them aren’t aware of the companies right here in our own community and the possibilities they offer.”
Douglass emphasized to students that manufacturing careers are more than just factory jobs – they can offer lifelong career paths with competitive pay, benefits and room for growth. He illustrated his own career trajectory, starting out as a machinist at a young age and working his way up to becoming an operations manager.
“It’s not just about welding or machining,” he said. “We have people who started as entry-level accountants and now manage entire shops. There’s a lot of opportunity to build a fulfilling career in manufacturing if you’re willing to put in the work.”
The manufacturing career awareness assemblies reached hundreds of students across nine schools, exposing them to a variety of career paths from production roles to engineering, data analysis and logistics management. LMMC hopes that these efforts will help change perceptions and show students and their parents that working in the local manufacturing industry is a stable, well-paying and dynamic career option.
By partnering with youth career services organizations like School to Work and dedicated educators, LMMC member manufacturers are making a meaningful investment in the next generation of the local workforce.
As Douglass explained, “It’s about opening students’ eyes to the possibilities, right in their own backyards.”
