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  • 2020
    10/15

    Celebrating Manufacturing and Highlighting its Importance to the Local Economy Pt. 2

    Manufacturing is essential to every aspect of our world and serves as a catalyst by creating a ripple effect that impacts other important areas, including the local economy. Take a moment to think about the products that we use on a daily basis and it becomes even more evident how important manufacturing really is. From the vehicles, we drive and fuel that goes in the tank to food and beverage products, the manufacturing industry and its workforce have an important role. 

    Below is the second part of an article about the manufacturing industry. Next week, we will be posting the remaining installment of this article that highlights the importance and impact the manufacturing industry has to the workforce and our communities.

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    Industry & Education Partnerships 

    Recruiting, preparing, and growing the talent base is among the most critical challenges facing manufacturers. The best opportunity to train students for manufacturing careers is for businesses to partner with school districts and community/technical colleges. We see this happening throughout Illinois.   

    LyondellBasell’s Morris Complex is one of the initial companies that partnered with Joliet Junior College to establish the Operations Engineering and Technician (OET) Associate degree programs. This program prepares individuals with the education and training needed for an operator or maintenance position. 

    Since the inception of the OET program in 2015, JJC has enjoyed solid partnerships with industry leaders such as LyondellBasell, TC Energy, Aux Sable, CITGO Petroleum Corporation and Exelon Generation.  The OET program stats continue to shine. Ever since the program began, there has been a 100 percent completion and employment rate with graduates earning an average salary of $72,000.  

    Amy Murphy, dean, applied arts, workforce education & training said, “Our industry partners have been instrumental in shaping the OET program’s curriculum, ensuring that our students are real-world ready through internship experiences as well as providing employment opportunities after graduation.” 

    Preparation for a career in manufacturing should start much earlier in a student’s education. Joliet Junior College adapted the success of the OET program to establish a dual-enrollment/pre-apprenticeship program, Advanced Integrated Maintenance (AIM), where high school students can attend college part-time their senior year to begin their career path in advanced manufacturing.  Manufacturers have introduced hundreds of programs like these across the country. 

    Increasingly, advanced manufacturing companies are turning to apprenticeships to develop, grow and retain a skilled workforce. Apprenticeship programs combine on-the-job learning with related instruction in technical areas to produce qualified, highly skilled employees for careers requiring precision skills. 

    Apprenticeship training ensures workers have the knowledge and competencies that companies need for today and tomorrow while helping to reduce the turnover rate. According to RecruiterBox, the average cost-per-hire in the manufacturing industry is $5,159. Many variables go into calculating your cost-per-hire including your recruiter's time, job fair participation fees, job board fees and ad spend.   

    An apprenticeship program provides a 94% retention rate according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Joliet Junior College is a program sponsor for many advanced manufacturing occupations and is partnering with manufacturers to establish their apprenticeship programs in the area of machinists, industrial maintenance technicians and more.  

    Picture1mm.jpg

    Daisy Mireles, a student in JJC’s Operations Engineering & Technician (OET) program, works on a pump during one of her classes. The OET program prepares students with the education and training needed to become an operator or maintenance position in the petrochemical, manufacturing or nuclear industry. 

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    Discover what manufacturing careers are available with the Illinois workNet Careers, Wages & Trends Search that allows you to use career and labor market information to:  

    • Plan for high school and beyond.​​​   
    • Complete job applications and prepare for interviews.​​​   
    • Find out about the expected number of job openings and how much a job could pay.   
    • Make a job change, relocate, or request a pay raise.   


    Be sure to follow our event calendar for upcoming eventsVirtual Job Fairs (VJF), and social media pages to learn more about Manufacturing Month:   

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