Oct. 7—Students, residents along with representatives from local manufacturing companies met on common ground on National Manufacturing Day.
The nationally recognized event, established by the Manufacturing Institute to expand knowledge about manufacturing careers and manufacturing's value in the United States. The day was celebrated on Friday in the Central Carolina Community College's E. Eugene Moore Center.
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. over a 1,000 residents along with middle and high school students from primarily Harnett, Lee and Chatham counties met with 35 manufacturing companies from the same counties.
Margaret Roberton, vice president of Workforce Development for Central Carolina Community College, said the event is geared toward giving students a look at manufacturing jobs and using the college to gain access to them.
"To get as many people interested in the opportunities that we have and careers; that's the goal," she said.
She said the college recently acquired the center where the event took place and said using this for this event is just a start. She said they hopefully will use the space for training students for various manufacturing jobs.
Hope Moore, 17, of Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville and her classmates came up to participate in the event. She said the event has given her a greater appreciation of what potential career paths she can have after she graduates.
"It has opened my eyes to different fields," she said. "There's a lot of variety and it makes me think more about what I want to do after high school."
"I think it's pretty dope," Ben Crouse, 17, who goes to school with Moore. "It's really amazing."
Despite the fact that many of the students were sometimes more focused on the candy, pens and squishies they could get for free from the various tables the different manufacturing companies like Triangle Brick, were able to get their word out.
"Obviously we need good workers, said Christy Miceli, director of human resources for the company that has a location in Moncure, "We want people to consider the brick industry for a career, not just a job."
She believes the trades have not been pushed enough as a viable career path versus attending a four-year college. She believes working in a trade or for a brick company like hers is great opportunity and was busy letting those who came to her table know that.
"We want to let them know that the trades are a great alternative to college," she said. "We need people in the trades."