What to Expect During Manufacturing Day

Now that you've signed up, the first thing on the schedule is an introductory breakfast and meeting hosted by Macomb County Planning and Economic Development (MCPED) Macomb Intermediate School District (MISD).

During the meeting, you'll not only be treated to a nice warm breakfast and some really fantastic coffee, but you'll also have the opportunity to hear the plan for Manufacturing Day, learn roughly how the day will break down and meet with the school that will be visiting your business.

Now that you have experienced the Manufacturing Day breakfast and have had a chance to network, ask questions and gather some supplies provided by the MCPED team. You may be thinking what is next.

You've sat through the breakfast meeting, had your coffee and learned the plan. Now the setup and preparation begins.

For some businesses, that may be as simple as ordering pizza. For others, it might mean cleaning up a few work areas, deciding which machines or departments you want to show off or figuring out who on your team wants to speak with the students.

Remember, you'll be hosting a group of teenagers. They tend to like pizza, pop and maybe a giveaway or two. None of that is required, of course, but who knows-they may be some of your best employees in the not-so-distant future.

The day itself can feel a little daunting, but remember-you were once a teenager too.

The best approach is usually the simplest. Welcome the students in, explain what your business does, introduce them to some of the people who work there and talk about what a normal day looks like.

Manufacturing Day is about showing the next generation what happens inside the businesses they may drive past every day without giving them a second thought.

Once the introductions are finished, the fun begins. Gather up the students and show them around. Maybe that means watching a CNC machine in action, visiting the CAD department, seeing a robot at work or meeting someone who started on the shop floor and worked their way into a completely different role.

Most importantly, don't just talk to the students-talk with them. Ask what interests them, what they enjoy doing and what they might want to do after high school. Maybe even find a way to experience what you or an employee does everyday, use a tool or interact with a machine. You never know what part of your tour might stick with them.

By the end of the day, you may have inspired someone to pursue a career they had never considered before.

And who knows? You may have just met a future employee.