Shreveport-Bossier, LA  Nearly 1,100 high school students will tour nearly 30 manufacturing plants and training providers this week during the fourth annual North Louisiana Manufacturing Week (NLA MFG), which culminates with National Manufacturing Day on October 6th. NLA MFG Week, presented by the North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP) and the Manufacturing Managers Council of Northwest Louisiana (MMC), will expose area students to career options in manufacturing and skilled trades. 

NLA MFG Week recently won an Excellence in Economic Development Silver Award for Human Capital from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the foremost membership association for economic developers. The award recognizes NLA MFG Week’s tremendous growth and impact in reshaping the way young people see modern manufacturing.

“When we first piloted the Manufacturing Week program in 2014, we started in just two parishes with 150 high school students visiting seven facilities,” said Angie White, CEcD, NLEP Senior Vice President, Workforce. “Today student participation has grown by a factor of five from 2 school districts to 10 school systems from all over North Louisiana.  The program has had a profound impact on how students now view modern manufacturing.”

High school students from Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, DeSoto, Jackson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine and Webster Parish school systems will tour modern manufacturing facilities and learn about high-demand manufacturing occupations and the skills and training needed to get a high-paying manufacturing job.

In addition to manufacturing facilities, students will tour manufacturing training programs in the region, including Bossier Parish Community College Center for Advanced Manufacturing, multiple Northwest Louisiana Technical College campuses, Southern University at Shreveport’s Aviation and Maintenance Technology program, Northwestern State University’s Engineering Technology program, and Louisiana Delta Community College in Jonesboro.

Also for the first time, area community and technical colleges will be hosting evening Manufacturing Career Open Houses to allow students participating in manufacturing week tours to return with their parents to learn about careers and training opportunities in manufacturing. These Open Houses are also open to the public and will take place on the following dates:

• Bossier Parish Community College – October 19, 2017 from 5:00-7:00 pm, 6220 E. Texas St, Bossier City, LA 71112
• Northwest Louisiana Technical College, Minden Campus – October 24, 2017 from 5:00-7:00 pm, 9500 Industrial Dr, Minden, LA 71058
• Central Louisiana Technical and Community College – November 2, 2017 from 5:00-7:00 pm, 6587 Highway 1 Bypass, Natchitoches, LA 71457

Across the nation, Manufacturing Day is held on the first Friday of every October. This event was inspired by a growing grassroots movement called Dream It. Do It. which is dedicated to overcoming the shared challenges facing today’s U.S. manufacturers. Louisiana became a Dream It. Do It. partner in 2016.

Gold and Silver Sponsors for 2017 North Louisiana Manufacturing Week include Libbey, Chemtrade, Continental Structural Plastics, Fibrebond, Haynes International and Red Ball Oxygen.

The media are invited to cover the following plant tours during the North Louisiana Manufacturing Week. *Please do not publish information about these tours, since they are not open to the public. Please notify media contact, Angie White, if you are covering the tours.

• Northwest Louisiana Technical College - Minden Campus tour- October 5, 2017 at 12:30 pm

• Northwestern State University, Engineering Technology Program- October 4 at 11:30am and October 5th at 9 am, 175 Sam Sibley Drive, 101 Williamson Hall, Natchitoches, LA 71457

 
About North Louisiana Economic Partnership

North Louisiana Economic Partnership, an Accredited Economic Development Organization, provides professional economic development services to the 14 parish region of North Louisiana, including lead generation and prospect management. The organization also represents the interests of North Louisiana with a unified voice and as a single point of contact. It acts as a catalyst, a convener, and a connector in the region to ensure that North Louisiana’s economic development potential is realized. Its vision is for North Louisiana to be a thriving region-a destination for high quality talent, innovative companies, and global investment.

Abort Manufacturing Managers Council of Northwest Louisiana

The Manufacturing Managers Council of Northwest Louisiana (MMC) is a member-based non-profit organization whose membership is made up of key leaders of manufacturers operating in Northwest Louisiana, as well as representatives of regional organizations providing support to manufacturers. The MMC’s mission is to support existing industry through idea sharing, education, and workforce development, and to assist in the growth of manufacturing in the region.