SEKISUI KYDEX welcomed local students and educators to their South Campus for Manufacturing Day on 5th October 2023.
Manufacturing Day is a national event dedicated to education about manufacturing career opportunities and to improving public perceptions of manufacturing. "We have an obligation as an industry to communicate how polymers are a solution to real-life challenges without being environmentally damaging. Our MFD accomplishes this and so much more," stated Sean Stabler, vice president of Innovation for SEKISUI KYDEX.
With the ever-growing estimated number of manufacturing jobs going unfilled by 2025, SEKISUI KYDEX hosted students from Bloomsburg Area High School, Central Columbia Area High School, and the Columbia Montour Area Vocational Technical School. Students were given the opportunity to explore the various career options available in manufacturing, enabling them to make a more informed decision about whether to pursue college, a technical program, or other post-college opportunities.
This event showed the varying career opportunities at SEKISUI KYDEX, which include inspector/packer, extrusion operators, quality technicians, colour technicians, production engineers, automation engineers, appLab engineers, graphic designers, and more, such as traditional business support positions. Additionally, members of the Pennsylvania College of Technology (PCT) were present to provide career guidance and acquaint students with the resources and programs offered by PCT. These opportunities enable students to earn college credits while still in school without incurring costs.
This year, students spent their day exploring how compelling plastics manufacturing can be throughout the various demonstration spaces set up around their Bloomsburg South Campus facility. The program featured a company and careers overview, a campus tour to see how KYDEX Thermoplastics are made, and several workshops to understand the thermoplastics industry. Stabler continued, "We aim to interact with the students in a playful yet scientific manner, so they have a positive experience that they can reflect upon when considering their future careers."
In the appLab, students learned about and used innovation and testing equipment. In the designLab, they explored colour science by creating their own colours and testing their vision with a colour acuity activity. Students were hands-on with safety by using a simulator to put out fires and performed a 4RKY to learn about hazard awareness. They learned how to keep production running smoothly at the manufacturing station with extrusion parts, maintenance equipment, and an automation demonstration. Circular design rounded out the workshops; here, students learned about KYDEX Thermoplastics sustainability and using pattern, colour, and texture work in design.