Team 1 Plastics Participates in Manufacturing Day

Team 1 Plastics, a plastic injection molding company for the transportation industry, participated in Manufacturing Day on October 6, 2017, by hosting about 70 students from Northwest High School in Jackson, Michigan.

During the afternoon event, the students toured the company’s plant and had opportunities to ask lots of questions. “Many of the students had never seen a manufacturing facility in real life. Our goal was to let them experience first-hand some of our cool processes and equipment,” said Robert Clothier, Team 1’s Human Resources Manager.

This was the first time that Team 1 Plastics had participated in Manufacturing Day, an annual event that began in 2012 and occurs on the first Friday of October. According to its website, Manufacturing Day “is a coordinated occasion during which U.S. manufacturers open their doors to demonstrate the potential of modern manufacturing and foster interest in manufacturing careers.”

“We wanted to showcase some of the opportunities that are available to students in the manufacturing industry,” said Clothier. “Companies like Team 1 can offer high-paying jobs and opportunities for development through on-the-job learning and outside education at no cost to the students.”

Manufacturing Day does impact students’ interest in manufacturing jobs, according to its website. A survey taken after Manufacturing Day 2016 showed that 89 percent of participating students were more aware of manufacturing jobs in their communities. And 84 percent of students were more convinced that manufacturing provides careers that are both interesting and rewarding.

For Team 1 Plastics, “The day was a huge success, and we immediately decided that we’d continue to hold Manufacturing Day events in the future,” Clothier said. “We were very impressed by the interest of the students and the great questions that they asked.”