Manufacturing & Schools: Community Involvement Key for Business

Clarion Jr. Sr. High School Robotics team demonstrates their robot entry for an upcoming competition.

A business is not an island. Just as you create a community within the facility, you must also maintain a connection with the community where the facility is located. This shows your commitment to the area and also helps when situations arise like an aging workforce and declines in the skillset needed for some careers. 

Work readiness programs are a new direction for high school curriculum. Student-run manufacturing both inspires interest in certain career paths and provides a foundation for the skills needed to pursue employment in certain industries. Local businesses that support both develop a connection to the education system that will help strengthen the local workforce and your own talent pool in the future. 

Collaborative Efforts: Education’s Changing Perspective and Local Business Support 

School administrators have realized students aren’t pursuing careers in certain fields - an issue that will have long-reaching consequences. Recognizing this gap in career pursuits was the first step, and adjusting the curriculum to increase awareness of these job paths and the benefits of certain skillsets was next. 

In Pennsylvania, the Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career program provides grants to help connect students to manufacturing opportunities. This funding is used for:

• Program development
• Shop modifications
• Equipment purchases
• Internships
• Professional consultants
• Marketing
• Salaries
• Local travel

Facilitating a connection with local industry leaders helps cement a relationship with partners who are committed to the success of internship programs for high school and college students. This also means improving brand awareness locally and positioning yourself to gain experienced employees who understand the work.

Success Story:

McDowell Manufacturing, a program supported by the NWIRC, has already created successful partnerships that provide measurable ROI. Better Baked Foods, one of McDowell’s partners, has seen cost avoidance of $200,000 by having parts reverse-engineered to fix their on-site conveyor system (rather than replace it). They also maintained 450 jobs that would have been at risk due to equipment downtime and retained approximately $5.8M in sales. 

Neighboring states are implementing similar programs. In New York State, Chautauqua Lake Central School District is one of the school systems that found inspiration from innovation in the local manufacturing industry. After attending conferences that shared information on green tech efforts and pivoting manufacturing with an eye on the future, Chautauqua Lake CSD implemented a sustainable studies program that prepares their students for manufacturing careers. Renewable energy is a growing focus for federal and state initiatives, which is supported by partnerships between manufacturers and educational institutions. 

In New Jersey, the Manufacturing in Higher Education Act was passed in late 2023. This bill focuses on providing technology, tools, and equipment for high school students to use while receiving instruction about both traditional and advanced manufacturing processes. The bill will provide funding to county vocational schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions to expand existing programs and create new ones that educate on manufacturing.

Matric Group’s Efforts to Positively Impact Education and Improve Employee Engagement

Marketing, Human Resources, and other Matric representatives attend local career fairs to increase awareness of career expectations in contract electronics manufacturing and the opportunities a career in the industry can provide (additional education paid for by the manufacturer and on-the-job training, for example).

Establishing a Positive Presence with Education

Greg Berlin, one of our business development engineers,
talks to students at the annual Manufacturing Day in Erie, PA.

Supporting programs that facilitate interest is also a key component of revitalizing the workforce’s interest in manufacturing.

Matric Group has taken measures to do just that, supporting programs like local high school robotics teams, United Way summer programs, PBS Design Lives Here, the Intermediate Unit 6 STEM Design Challenge, and special events through the NWIRC. 

Matric also provides students the opportunity to tour the facility in Seneca, Pa. Students have lunch with Matric team members and ask questions about how they got hired and what a career in electronics manufacturing is like. 

 Clarion Limestone's student-run organization - Lion Manufacturing, tours our Seneca facility.

Creating Partnerships with Student-Run Manufacturing 

One of the best ways to support and reinforce these educational programs is to work with the companies. Seeing the advantages of a partnership with a student-run company, Matric Group recently connected with Lion Manufacturing, based out of Clarion-Limestone High School in Strattanville, PA. The student-run company will provide services to help Matric meet production goals.

The student-run company will offer services including: 

• Producing prototype custom materials
• Supplying sheet metal, structural metals, and fiberglass insulators cut to specifications

Given their facility size and capabilities, they can handle small-scale production that larger manufacturers typically avoid due to low order quantities. 

Maintaining Strong Relationships through Donations to Local Charity Programs

Your employees are part of the community, and recognizing the connection and supporting those who support your production shows an awareness of your status as part of the local community. Supporting local charity and encouraging your employees to volunteer are both strong ways to show your commitment.  

Matric Group Adopt-a-Highway team heads out to clean up Hill City road.

In 2023, Matric Group was recognized as the largest employer donor to the Venango County United Way, with more than $26,000 donated. Meanwhile, employees regularly give back to the community through participation in the Adopt-A-Highway program and annual charity drives, among other activities. 

Key Takeaways for the Importance of Community Involvement for Business

While some businesses would prefer to focus solely on the facility's environment, many manufacturers recognize the importance of maintaining a positive relationship with the surrounding communityl. 

With an aging workforce and a lack of the right skills training in potential workers, efforts need to be made now to bring in new generations of talented workers. Without manufacturers that are open to providing community support and on-the-job training programs, the struggle will only continue. 

Matric Group’s Manufacturing Capabilities: Get Into the Details 

Are you interested in learning more about the areas where Matric can provide expertise? Contact us with questions.