FIRST MANUFACTURING DAY SUCCESSFUL EVENT
Posted on 10/04/2018
Jonesboro - October 4th has come and gone at NEA Career & Tech Center with the first ever Manufacturing Day event held on campus. And if the reactions from speakers and attendees are any indication, this will indeed grow to become quite an annual event.
Industry speakers included Kenneth Jenkins, Martin Sprocket & Gear, Jennifer Morgan with Trinity Railcar, Camfil APC's Sandy Hogan and Brian Richardson, American Railcar's Mike Peters and Truitt Dowdy with ARDOT. Several other industries attended including representatives with Arkansas Glass Container Corp., NEA Hydraulics, FMH Conveyors and Phillip's Corp.
NEACTC alumni speakers opened each shift to inform guests of their progress since graduation. All attendees are attending college, training school and working in local industry. Each noted how NEACTC had played a critical role in their lives. "I was ready to quit school until I enrolled in the H-VAC program," said Carolina Robles, now attending ASU-MT and employed as an HVACR technician while she finishes her final two semesters of college training in HVACR. "It truly changed my life."
Refreshments for each of the three shifts were catered by students enrolled in the NEA Career & Tech Center Culinary Arts program. Lunch was also catered for all industry partners and alumni speakers.
Student demonstrations were held in four programs: Advanced Manufacturing (NASA HUNCH CNC machining, laser engraving, 3D printing & design), HVACR (soldering & brazing techniques, electrical circuit wiring w/ thermostats & switches), Welding Technology (creating a complete product--cell phone holder in five minutes), and Industrial Technology (Amatrol lockout/tagout procedures on student fluid power trainers).