Check out high-tech automated manufacturing machinery, hear from regional manufacturers and discover how American manufacturing is flourishing – all at the Southwestern Illinois College Manufacturing Day celebration.
SWIC will open its doors for a Manufacturing Day Open House — Friday, Sept. 23, from
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. — to showcase new technology, educational programs, career opportunities, products and services. The SWIC Sam Wolf Granite City Campus, 4950 Maryville Road, will serve as the event hub for the day.
More than 1,300 local high school students are scheduled to attend.
The celebration is free and open to the public. The welcome ceremony begins at 9 a.m.
“Our goal is to show students and the community what great opportunities are available in technical education at SWIC and that there is an abundance of well-paying, secure careers in manufacturing right here in the Metro East,” said SWIC Dean of Technical Education Brad Sparks.
At the opening ceremony, Andrew Crowe, founder of the New American Manufacturing Renaissance, a movement to revitalize American manufacturing, will serve as the keynote speaker. SWIC winners of national Department of Defense Project MFG competition will be recognized by Project MFG representatives and SWIC national SkillsUSA medal winners will be recognized by representatives of Illinois SkillsUSA.
At the open house, visitors can tour the Precision Machining Technology, Electrical/ Electronics, Heating Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, and Welding Technology labs. Plus, they can see first-hand how cutting-edge computerized machining and robotic welding equipment is changing technical education and manufacturing.
Also, visitors can try their hands at virtual welding, enjoy 3D printing demonstrations, meet more than 30 local manufacturers and tour a local manufacturing facility.
This event in presented in partnership with the Gene Haas Foundation, Granite City Economic Development Department, IMEC – Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois, Madison County Employment and Training, St. Clair County Intergovernmental Grants Department and the Southwestern Madison County Chamber of Commerce. For additional information, visit swic.edu/mfgday or call the SWIC Technical Education Division at 618-931-0600, ext. 7476.