Manufacturers encourage high schoolers

WEST CARROLLTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Friday is National Manufacturing Day.  It's an opportunity for companies to showcase career opportunities and for students to see how some facilities work.

There is a calm, humming sound at the Dayton Progress Corporation in West Carrollton.  It is one of 2,400 Dayton area manufacturers that employ 100,000 workers.

"Getting a college degree is not the only way to have a superior income or a great life and working conditions," said Alan Shaffer, Dayton Progress CEO.

Shaffer and Dayton Progress will host high school students, counselors, administrators and parents on National Manufacturing Day.

"The majority of our students do go on to college however, manufacturing is one of the highest paying fields not requiring a college degree," said Sheanna Kurtz, WCHS counselor.

In fact, the average income in Ohio for a manufacturing job is more than $66,000 a year according to the US Labor Department.

Daniel Martinez and Valerie Hartley are seniors at West Carrollton High School. They are exploring other opportunities before looking at college and will be on the Dayton Progress Tour.

"It gives you more opportunities to think about high school, college or if you want something to fall back on if college isn't for you," said Daniel Martinez, Senior at WCHS.

The Deloitte/Manufacturing Institute reports there are 600,000 positions open for manufacturing jobs in the US, so the demand is huge.

"We're hiring like crazy, as fast as we can. He says, 'nobody's hiring', we're hiring."

In a nationwide poll, manufacturers identified the top skills needed as problem solving, technical training, math, reading, written and verbal communication.