By Zach Spicer
From automotive parts to diesel engines to bicycles, Jackson County companies manufacture a variety of products.
There also are distribution centers that handle pet supplies and other general merchandise for national retailers.
Each year in October, local companies come together to help JCIDC celebrate MFG Day. Held on the first Friday in October with events continuing throughout the month and beyond, MFG Day — Manufacturing Day — is a national grassroots movement that demonstrates the reality and future of modern manufacturing careers. Thousands of companies and educational institutions nationwide are invited to open their doors to students, parents, educators and community leaders.
MFG Day is an initiative of the Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. The event empowers manufacturers to come together and address their collective challenges and build excitement about manufacturing careers to help their communities and future generations thrive.
Jackson County’s event Oct. 10 started at Cummins Seymour Engine Plant, where more than 100 students from Brownstown Central, Crothersville, Medora and Seymour high schools gathered for workshops in the morning.
During the welcome, Darren Kimmel, plant manager for the Seymour Engine Plant, thanked AISIN USA Mfg. Inc., Guardian Bikes and Pet Supplies Plus Distribution Center for joining Cummins in celebrating MFG Day and showing off manufacturing within Jackson County.
He introduced a special guest, Jenny Bush, president of Cummins Power Systems Business, to share a few words.
“Hopefully, you guys are going to get a view into the world today that you don’t see very often,” she told the students. “Today, I think you’ll see some pretty cool technology. You’ll maybe get some things that you’re familiar with, so anybody that’s into trucks or cars or anything automotive, you’ll maybe get to see some stuff that you understand but in a much bigger scale.”
The hope is for the students to begin thinking about their own careers, Bush said.
“I started my career on the floor at Cummins, and so as a result, you can grow through companies like ours in many different ways,” she said. “Manufacturing isn’t just being on the tools and on the floor.”
There also are positions in human resources, finance, materials, engineering and other spaces, Bush said.
“Where you can get involved, bring your ideas and actually bring those to things that go to market that we sell to our customers on a daily basis,” she said.
Bush said she was super excited to be with the students and encouraged them to ask questions so they could learn.
“Please be curious, please ask questions and please enjoy yourselves as much as possible,” Bush said.
Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson echoed Bush’s comments about exploring the variety of careers in manufacturing, which makes up about a third of the jobs in Jackson County.
“It is a great opportunity to realize that it is not just being on the floor, not just turning wrenches,” he said. “There’s a chance to be in finance. There’s design work that goes on. There’s so much that goes into manufacturing. This is a great chance for you to get to experience all of it, to see the technology that is out there, which is absolutely fascinating.”
During the morning workshops, AISIN presented on budgeting, interview tips and resume practices and had Jackson County graduate Austin Frady talk about how he has worked his way up the ranks with the company.
Guardian Bikes and Cummins talked about career pathways and had Jackson County graduates Jamie Durham, James McNeely and Chad Gray speak on their journeys with their company.
Pet Supplies Plus focused on career development and had employee Derrick Broshears share his experience as a Jackson County graduate pursuing a career after high school and moving up the ladder at the distribution center.
In the afternoon, the students visited one of the four participating companies for lunch, a tour and activities.
