Staff at Atlas Pressed Metals actively work to promote job awareness in manufacturing, including participating in this year’s National Manufacturing Day, held on Oct. 5. Atlas was one of 10 manufacturers on-hand at Penn State DuBois to offer insight to about 200 visiting university and high school students into the powder metal process and skills needed for a career in powdered metal.
Sponsored by the Manufacturers Extension Partnership (MEP), a federal program offered through the National Institute of Standards and Technologies, Manufacturing Day is an opportunity for manufacturers to showcase how things are made, and the various jobs available in manufacturing; it's intended to "energize the future pipeline" of skilled workers, according to the MEP's website.
Pictured at the Penn State DuBois event to celebrate National Manufacturing Day are Marty Timm (left) Atlas Manufacturing Manager, and Craig Stringer, Ph.D. Materials Science, and Senior Metallurgical Engineer at Atlas.
Craig Stringer, Ph.D. Materials Science, and Senior Metallurgical Engineer at Atlas, along with Marty Timm, Atlas Manufacturing Manager, offered a poster display on the powder metal manufacturing process. They also brought along a collaborative robot, also known as a "cobot" named Sawyer, to show the students how humans work together in an automated manufacturing setting.
"We always try to build some excitement into our display to draw attention to our booth, but our message is aimed to get students to think about careers in manufacturing," said Erin Heath, Business Development Manager at Atlas Pressed Metals. "Skilled laborers, technicians, engineers, and specialized and experienced operators are in high demand. The work is rewarding, and the pay is competitive in this region. There are great jobs available in manufacturing."