ABOVE: Vermilion Advantage CEO Mike Marron addresses guests at the start of Wednesday’s “Regional Roundtable” on workforce education at the Vermilion County Farm Bureau Building.
“The future” was the topic Wednesday afternoon at the Vermilion County Farm Bureau Building; with the topic of preparing the future workforce for “knowing about” and “taking advantage of” opportunities in manufacturing.
Attendees included representatives from local industry such as Thyssenkrupp and Danville Metal Stamping; educators such as DACC president Dr. Randy Fletcher and DHS principal Jacob Bretz; and local leaders such as Vermilion Advantage’s Mike Marron, State Rep Brandun Schweizer, and Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr.
One of the speakers was Noah Brandenburger from IMEC (Illinois Manufacting Excellence Center). He says youngsters need to know that anything they have a passion for can lead to something in the world of manufacturing.
AUDIO: Whether it be marketing and social media, or robotics, or engineering. Any of those disciplines, there is an avenue into manufacturing; that’ll meet anybody’s passion.
(2nd Picture) IMEC’s (Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center) Noah Brandenburger takes notes prior to speaking at Wednesday afternoon’s Regional Roundtable.
Vermilion Advantage CEO Mike Marron says that’s exactly why we have today’s efforts; highly prioritized since the pandemic, he pointed out; to get the manufacturers themselves into schools to excite young kids about local opportunities. And then, when they are older, understanding what Danville Area Community College can do to get them there.
AUDIO: DACC has got some cutting edge, wonderful workforce programs; tailor-made for the employers in the area. And there’s a lot of opportunities there to get a really good education, and be set up for a great career.
Brandenburger says it is definitely good to reach kids at an early age, and give them a look a modern day manufacturing.
AUDIO: The manufacturing plants of today are much brighter and electrifying than they were back in the 50s and 60s, and stuff you’ve seen in the movies. And so, just touring a facility brings out a big “wow factor,” and then people would consider that type of employment.
During his time speaking, Mike Marron spoke of three areas where he’d like to see some new industry and manufacturing. The “Northgate Site” around where Voorhees Street becomes Lynch Road, the area around Vermilion Regional Airport, and the often mentioned “East Voorhees Corridor.”
