District 88 celebrates Manufacturing Month and Manufacturing Day
Top: (From left) Regional Vice President of Business Development with Comcast Business Sean McCarthy, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association Mark Denzler, Village of Addison Mayor Rich Veenstra, District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton, Village of Addison Special Projects Coordinator Anna Kubas and Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking with Wintrust Community Bank Teresa Faidley attend a Manufacturing Matters Breakfast. That event took place on Oct. 25 at Addison Village Hall to celebrate Manufacturing Month and Manufacturing Day. Bottom left and right: Helton presents during the event.
In support of Manufacturing Month and Manufacturing Day, District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton presented during a Manufacturing Matters Breakfast on Oct. 25 at Addison Village Hall. The event was hosted by the Village of Addison and the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and was sponsored by Addison Bank & Trust and Comcast Business.
According to https://www.mfgday.com, “Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is – and what it isn’t. By working together during and after MFG DAY, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.”
During the breakfast, Addison Mayor Rich Veenstra welcomed several local businesses and community leaders to discuss the collaboration of the Addison Workforce Development Committee, the strong support of Addison schools in educating students for future careers and the impact of manufacturers in Illinois.
Dr. Helton shared information about District 88 career readiness initiatives/highlights, partnerships the district is building with Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO) and OUR HOME iMPROVEMENT (OHi) in Elk Grove Village to provide on-the-job experiences and apprenticeship opportunities for students, unique manufacturing programs District 88 students participate in through the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Partnership, a SkillsUSA National Signing Day Addison Trail hosted to celebrate high school seniors who are pursuing a career in the skilled trades, student mentorship/job shadowing opportunities with Addison manufacturing companies and a new apprentice program called Project Hire-Ed (a collaborative effort between the Addison Workforce Development Committee and College of DuPage that aims to address what business leaders believe is absent in the skills set of recent graduates and what is missing from the workforce). To view the presentation, go to https://www.dupage88.net/site/public/files/?item=4678.
Other presenters were Rick Delawder, Chairman of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association and owner of SWD Inc.; Mark Denzler, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association; and Anna Kubas, Special Projects Coordinator with the Village of Addison.