High-schoolers To Experience Manufacturing Jobs

In recognition of October as Manufacturing Month, area students this month will visit manufacturing plants, job shadow workers and get a virtual tour of GE’s Appliance Park – all efforts to expose them to potential careers in manufacturing and create a new flow of skilled employees to fill good-paying jobs.

Mayor Greg Fischer will help tout Manufacturing Month at events throughout the month, including Carrithers Middle School’s first-of-its-kind virtual tour of Appliance Park on Oct. 7, which is National Manufacturing Day.

Other students will tour Appliance Park, KCC Manufacturing and the Louisville Ford Assembly Plant this month to learn more about careers in manufacturing and to gather information about training and educational opportunities.

“Manufacturing is vital to our local and regional economies, and it’s increasingly important that we create a stronger pipeline of educated and skilled employees to meet the demand,” the Mayor said. “These students are seeing the kind of jobs available in modern, technology-driven manufacturing facilities, and seeing people working as efficient teams to make a broad range of products.”

The Louisville area has 1,600 manufacturing companies employing approximately 76,000 people and providing an $11 billion impact to the local economy. The Louisville region has added 18,000 jobs in manufacturing since the height of the recession in 2009, outpacing the national recovery rate.

The tours at GE, Ford and KCC Manufacturing were developed by KentuckianaWorks, the Kentucky Manufacturing Career Center Employer Advisory Group and Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana, and  funded by a grant from the Louisville Redevelopment Authority.

“Our goal is to promote career opportunities in manufacturing,” said Mike Kopp, recruiter with KCC Manufacturing.  “By spotlighting our facilities and products, we hope to educate and motivate these young people to consider a career in manufacturing. “

“This year’s manufacturing celebration allows JA to reach even more students with JA Job Shadows,” said Debra Hoffer, president of Junior Achievement.  “The experience of spending time in an actual workplace is extremely impactful for students and helps them to make better decisions in regards to their future careers.  Students will have exposure to jobs in manufacturing that have opportunities for advancement, education and a great pay right here in our community. “

As manufacturing rebounds in the Louisville region, the demand is increasing for workers who have greater skills and training.

KentuckianaWorks is currently offering free training through the Manufacturing Training and Employment Connection (M-TEC). It’s an intensive, two-week program where participants can earn multiple training certificates valued by local manufacturing companies. Graduates also get direct connections to employers who have jobs to fill.

New M-TEC classes are scheduled for October and November at the Kentucky Manufacturing Career Center in south Louisville. For more information, call (502) 276-9711, ext. 4001.

Schedule of Manufacturing Month activities

October 4      

• Students from Bullitt County High School will tour GE Appliance Park, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 4000 Buechel Bank Road.

October 6

• Rabbit Hole Distilling, NuLu’s first distillery, will break ground on its new $12.5 million distillery, 1:30 p.m., 711 E. Jefferson Street.

October 7

• Students from Butler, Iroquois and Shawnee High Schools will tour KCC Manufacturing, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., 2716 Grassland Drive. Contact: Mike Kopp, 502-491-9881.
• More than 90 middle school classes from Greater Louisville will participate in a first-of-its-kind virtual tour of Appliance Park. Mayor Fischer will join 8^th grade students from Carrithers Middle School for the virtual field trip, 9:30 a.m., 4320 Billtown Road.

October 12

• Mayor Fischer will team up with Ford and Junior Achievement to give students from Jefferson County and Central High Schools a look inside the Louisville Ford Assembly Plant through the JA Job Shadow program, 9:00 a.m., 2000 Fern Valley Road.

October 14

• Crown World, dental laboratory and manufacturer, will have its ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration of its new state-of-the-art facility, 1:30 p.m., 3841 Business Park Drive.

October 15

• Mayor Fischer will join officials from BAE Systems, along with employees and their families to celebrate the 75^thanniversary of the Naval Ordnance, 2 p.m., 163 Rochester Drive.

October 21

• The West Louisville Career Fair will be heldFriday, October 21 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Louisville Central Community Center, 1300 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd. Companies recruiting at this career fair will have a heavy focus on the manufacturing sector.

October 26

• Mayor Fischer will join officials from Clariant Corporation to break ground on its new manufacturing facility, 11 a.m., 1300 S. 11^th

Louisville-based manufacturers and those participating in events are encouraged to join in Manufacturing Month by using #LouMFG on social media.

To learn more about Louisville’s robust manufacturing sector, visit