DeWITT, N.Y. — School students who toured Worthington Steel in Rome on Oct. 3 saw the entire process of making steel coils from raw material to packing.
That same day, students who visited Byrne Dairy learned about automation on the plant floor and about various processes from batching and pasteurization to titration and dye testing.
The following day, students were told about the brewing process from “sip to seed” at Anheuser-Busch and joined the manufacturing floor at Morse Manufacturing to see the engineering of drum-handling equipment.
The visits and tours were part of a two-day observance of National Manufacturing Day (MFG Day), which is marked on the first Friday in October.
DeWITT–based MACNY, The Manufacturers Association, and its affiliate, Partners for Education & Business, Inc. (PEB), organized the two-day MFG Day tours. October is New York State’s official observance of Manufacturing Month, MACNY noted.
MACNY and PEB coordinated with 14 local manufacturers to showcase their manufacturing processes for more than 600 students and educators from 11 school districts across Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.
Companies providing tours included Anheuser-Busch in Lysander; Anoplate in Syracuse; Bartell Machinery Systems, LLC in Rome; Bluefors Cryocooler Technologies in DeWitt; Byrne Dairy; Cayuga Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Institute; Golden Artist Colors in New Berlin; Indium Corporation in Clinton; Morse Manufacturing in Salina; OCWA; TTM Technologies, Inc. in DeWitt; United Radio in DeWitt; Waygate Technologies in Skaneateles; and Worthington Steel in Rome.
“Manufacturing Month shines a spotlight on the manufacturing industry and provides us with an opportunity to positively influence the perception of manufacturing, inspire the workforce of tomorrow, and engage with our community – students, educators, business leaders, elected officials, and beyond,” Randy Wolken, president & CEO of MACNY, the Manufacturers Association, said in the organization’s announcement.
In its announcement, MACNY said, “The mission of Manufacturing Month is to showcase real-life examples of modern manufacturing jobs to inspire the next generation of creators to pursue careers in manufacturing. This month provides an opportunity for manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges to help their communities and future generations thrive.”
“With the number of manufacturing jobs coming to our region, our team’s work engaging students with local industry partners is more vital than ever,” Taylor Hodge, director of Partners for Education & Business, Inc., said in a statement. “Through career-connected learning experiences, we can ensure the youth of our community are informed and equipped to access these opportunities.”