Students explore local careers during Nodaway County’s National Manufacturing Day

Nodaway County celebrated its Sixth Annual National Manufacturing Day October 3, with more than 180 eighth grade students touring local industries and participating in hands-on activities designed to spark interest in manufacturing careers. Students visited leading facilities, including Laclede Chain, DRIV/Tenneco, Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing, JL Houston, Houston Polytank, the City of Maryville Public Works Department, and NUCOR-LMP. These tours gave students a firsthand look at the technologies, career opportunities and skilled professionals driving the local economy.

This year’s program expanded beyond facility tours to include interactive exhibits and activities at Northwest Missouri State University’s Hughes Fieldhouse, where students also gathered for lunch. Highlights included robotics with Alpha Robotics’ Yaskawa Academy, computer-aided drafting with 413 Machining, CPR training with Northwest Technical School, safety information from Grainger and vibration analysis demonstrations by Predictive Maintenance Technologies.

“We’re excited to show students the dynamic opportunities available right here in Nodaway County,” said Josh McKim, executive director of Nodaway County Economic Development. “Manufacturing is a cornerstone of our local economy, and by connecting students with the businesses that power our community, we’re building a stronger workforce for the future and inspiring pride in the opportunities close to home.”

National Manufacturing Day continues to highlight the critical role of manufacturing in Nodaway County while inspiring the next generation of workers to consider careers in this vital sector.