MORTON, Ill. – Students from across central Illinois spent their Tuesday morning getting an up close look at what a future career could look like for them.
It’s part of the Discover Manufacturing Career Expo. The event is sponsored by the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council.
Around 140 students from ten schools toured Morton Industries as part of the expo. They visited 14 stations throughout the facility, with stops to see jobs such as painting, welding, laser cutting, and even front office work.
Morton Industries President Chris Ober says one of their goals for the expo is to show students that manufacturing jobs don’t have to be dirty work, with the latest technology being used to perform tasks needed.
He says some students are even seeing things for the first time.
“So they’re seeing a laser cutter for the first time, and this is all state-of-the-art equipment,” Ober said. “You can’t go anywhere else in the world and see anything better. So it’s really neat that it’s right in central Illinois that they can see these things.”
Production Manager David Yeager says another goal of the expo is to show students that great careers can be attainable right out of high school.
“We can have an opportunity where we got a kid that wants to come in and make a living right off the bat, but doesn’t want to go to college. But here’s an opportunity to do that, and support your family close to home, right in your backyard,” Yeager said.
Yeager says that the expo can also be used as a recruitment tool for the company, where they can help students they meet at the expo find a job with them after they graduate.
