A group of 11 students from Fort LeBoeuf High School who participate in the Manufacturer & Business Association’s Your employability Skills (Y.E.S. ™) program got a firsthand look at entrepreneurship, technology and thriving manufacturing companies, during recent facility tours of Industrial Sales & Mfg. (ISM) and Plastek in Erie.
ISM prepared students for the field trip with a board meeting (Power Point discussion) and then took the group on a plant tour, emphasizing the importance of showing up for work with a good work ethic. “I think the message clicked with many of the students,” said Fort LeBoeuf School District Business Chairperson Mike Shady.
At the next stop, Plastek’s team discussed all the products they manufacture, before taking a guided tour with a plastics engineering student from Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.
“He explained everything about manufacturing and the plant,” said Shady. “We were amazed that they manufacture over 1 billion products per year out of the Spectrum plant.”
In collaboration with local school districts, employers and business organizations, the YES™ program is designed to help youth acquire the fundamental skills that employers regard as important to a well-trained work force. It addresses key concerns of the employers, while preparing applicants for quality employment opportunities and a pathway to a secure future.
To learn more about YES™, visit www.mbausa.org.
