Local business aims to interest students in manufacturing
During the first Friday in October every year, manufacturers around the country open their doors to the public and students for National Manufacturing Day to help inspire and usher in the next generation of industry workers.
On Friday, Butler Technologies did just that. The 32-year-old business welcomed students from Butler and North Allegheny high schools, as well as other local manufacturers.
Mark Bachman, operational excellence coordinator at Butler Technologies, said he was excited to show the public what the company does on a daily basis to help educate those interested in manufacturing as a potential career path.
“We have been doing this for five or six years now,” Bachman said. “We love to have young folks and older folks alike. There is a future in manufacturing and it's a viable way to make a living. It fits for a lot of people. Some people might not want to go onto secondary education. They just want to hit the ground running.”
Bachman said he has worked at Butler Technologies for 30 years, starting at the “ground level” when he was a student at Slippery Rock University.
“I had the opportunity to come in and work a few hours, and 30 years later I have learned so much and developed myself,” he said. “I can tell you it’s OK to start at the ground level and build your career.”
Those interested in joining the industry have many options, Bachman said.
Some people go to college to obtain engineering degrees to get involved in more advanced areas of manufacturing, but some can find a job with little to no experience due to on-the-job training programs provided by employers.
“Like us, there are other businesses in the area that have intensive in-house training programs,” Bachman said. “Penn United comes to mind. We are just on a smaller scale than that. Ultimately we would like to build something more similar to that.”
Zoe Gould, a senior at Butler Senior High School who attended the event Friday, said she is not sure what her career path will be following graduation in the spring, but she was intrigued by what she learned during her visit.
“They talked about all the different fields they help with their products,” Gould said. “I found it interesting because of how diverse it is. They helped make thermal products for Olympics. They make products in the medical industry along with the car industry, working with companies like Tesla and Jeep.”
Bachman said Butler Technologies also has had success working directly with students at the Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School. That also could be a reason Butler County has the highest number of manufacturers out of any county in the state — more than 300, according to the Tri County Manufacturers Consortium.
“I know tool and die has been big in the area over the years, even machining,” Bachman said. “You have the Obergs of the world, Penn United is a big success story. There are just so many.”
Bachman said the path to growing the industry starts with businesses holding more events such as the one Butler Technologies hosted on National Manufacturing Day.
“We need more of this,” Bachman said. “More demonstrations and job fairs where local businesses go out to the community and engage kids while they are still in high school. We need to raise awareness and reach out.”
