Record Number of Students Celebrate Manufacturing Month

In-depth tours provide over 715  students with an inside look at local companies

Celina, Ohio – The Grand Lake Regional Educational Service Center (ESC) Business Advisory Council recently facilitated their annual tours in honor of Manufacturing Month, showcasing the importance of this field and the career opportunities in one of the largest industries in the area.

Over 715 sixth and seventh graders from Celina, Coldwater, Fort Recovery, Marion Local, Parkway, St. Henry and Versailles participated, each visiting three sites and bringing 18 buses to 10 companies over two days. This year’s tours had the largest numbers of students and companies participating since the tours began being coordinated by the ESC in 2021.

Companies opening their doors to host student tours included: AMS Seat Structures, CELINA Enterprises (Celina Tent, Inc.), Crown Equipment (New Bremen and Celina), Fort Recovery Industries Inc., Lincoln Electric Automation, Nidec Minster Corporation, Pax Machine Works, Inc., The Reynolds & Reynolds Company, Totally Promotional and VTF Excavation, LLC. Jared Ebbing, Mercer County Community and Economic Development Director, assisted with the coordination of the 2-day event, and Mercer County Commissioner Brian Miller joined this year’s tours.

“I recently had the opportunity to tour manufacturing facilities with two different seventh grade school groups,” Commissioner Miller stated. “The staff from both facilities did a great job relating the tours to the students. I was impressed with the manners and questions the students had. This also was a great opportunity for me to learn more about some of our manufacturers. I commend the Grand Lake Regional ESC for educating our youth about our local facilities.”

Many companies started with a brief presentation about their history and products or services, then rotated the students through tours and hands-on activities. “Our business partners are incredible and we are so grateful that they take time from their busy schedules to host our students,” said Sandi Holdheide, Workforce and Career Navigator with the Grand Lake Regional ESC. “Every host site really goes out of their way to make the tours fun and interactive for the students. This year, one site illustrated quality control with two different types of candy, and another allowed the students to label boxes in a shipping exercise. Our hosts really want to showcase what they do in a way that will connect to students.”

The Business Advisory Council is committed to career connected learning and helping students understand the opportunities in the area. Holdheide continued, “Students are really excited to learn what is made inside the buildings they may drive by every day. And, raising awareness at this age level helps prepare these students for their future decisions about pursuing career tech programs, like attending Tri Star Career Compact, or choosing which high school classes best fit their strengths and interests as they think about their career pathway.”

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In a post-tour survey, student comments were overwhelmingly positive, including statements like:

• “Our region has many amazing places that ship everywhere and supply lots of companies.”

• “Today's tours changed my view about careers in our area because I learned that our little area provides a lot of products all around the U.S.”

• “The tours changed my view of what my future career may look like because I have now realized that there are a ton of local businesses that I could potentially work at. They also made me more interested in working there someday since I found these places very interesting.”

• “They changed my view about careers in our area by showing us that there [is] a lot more things to do in manufacturing besides welding and engineering.”

For questions about Manufacturing Month or the Grand Lake Regional Educational Service Center Business Advisory Council, please contact Sandi Holdheide, ESC Workforce & Career Navigator, at sandi.holdheide@glresc.org or 419-586-6628.