Manufacturing Month, typically in October of each year, is time for one of our highest in-demand career fields to really shine!
In October 2025, more than 680 students from all 7 service district schools were exposed to careers in 9 area companies. These tours allow the students to see what paths might look most interesting to them as they approach the age when making decisions about applying to career technical programs, taking college credit plus classes, or where they might enter the workforce.
Students complete surveys after the tours, and tell us this exposure is helpful in raising awareness about careers they would not have known existed without having this opportunity. Overall, students in 2025 rated the tours 4.2 out of 5 stars, providing positive comments like:
“I did not know that it was world wide and I thought it was only in Celina.”
“Thank you, I didn't know that a lot of the items we use daily came from this company.”
“I didn't know what they did before we went there. Now I know what and saw how they make stuff.”
“I want to work at all of them.”
"... they use STEM in everything they do"
Thank you to CELINA (Celina Tent, Inc.), Crown Equipment (New Bremen and Celina), Fort Recovery Industries Inc., JR Manufacturing Inc., Lincoln Electric, Nidec Minster Corporation, Pax Machine Works, Inc., Reynolds & Reynolds, and VTF Excavation, LLC. and Jared Ebbing with the Mercer County Economic and Community Development Office for highlighting manufacturing in our area.
Local News Coverage:
WCSM (October 31)
Daily Standard (November 4)
If you are interested in participating in October 2026, email Sandi Holdheide and let us know you'd like to host!