By KAITLYN NEFF
Times West Virginian
RACHEL, W.Va. — The West Virginia Manufacturers Association Educational Fund (WVMAEF) hosted a regional education academy Wednesday at the Marion County Technical Center.
Area middle school students attended to learn from local manufacturing representatives and students involved in the educational programs at the Marion County Technical Center.
(Times West Virginian photo by Kaitlyn Neff)
The academy featured different lab demonstrations and presentations from representatives from a variety of manufacturing companies in the state of West Virginia, including Mylan Pharmaceuticals in Morgantown.
“The initiative started under the WVMAEF to get into schools and reach students, particularly eighth-graders, and educate them about all of the manufacturing companies in West Virginia along with their available career paths and salaries,” Charles Ryan Associates representative and event co-coordinator Lake Morehouse said.
“The students get to see what companies like Mylan do every day, and they also get to see the technical center and the great programs they offer. We picked eighth-graders because we think that is the best age that is most impressionable. There is a lot of moving parts, but it is a really good thing.”
Mylan Pharmaceuticals had two representatives who presented some alternatives to education including manufacturing occupations available at the location in Morgantown.
“It’s a day for us to get in front of some kids and explain how Mylan works and how the process works,” senior training specialist Vernon Shifflett said. “We have decent paying jobs. It’s a good thing to speak with kids this age and tell them we can set their goals.”
Training specialist Matt Mezzanotte said often when people think of manufacturing they think about “dirty jobs,” but they are not all in that manner.
“There are different jobs out there that kids are able to get out of high school,” Mezzanotte said. “Everyone thinks of manufacturing as coal mining or digging ditches, but there are other opportunities out there like at Mylan. We just want to show them that and what Mylan’s about.”
“I think the good thing about this event is that it has given the students the opportunity to get some exposure to technical education,” Frazier said.
“I think it has been a really positive response because they were able to kind of go through and see a little bit of what we do that will hopefully spark their interest as they become high school students. I am really pleased we were able to host this event.”
Email Kaitlyn Neff at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @kneffTWV.
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