Dream It Do It WNY partnered with the Chautauqua Lake Central School District for its Girls in Manufacturing Day on June 5th. The day provided an opportunity for girls to learn and develop talent that is welcome in an industry they may not consider otherwise. According to DIDIWNY, Girls in Manufacturing Day is important because women make up only 30% of the manufacturing industry, but those who do earn 16% more than the national median income for women who are employed. Highlights of the day included the following:
- Careers and opportunities manufacturing offers.
- Guest speakers -- women who work in the industry.
- Manufacturing's cool processes. Girls experience welding, CNC programming and machining, laser engraving, drilling, cutting and grinding steel through a hands-on, applied learning project that they proudly make themselves.
- The Dream It Do It Advanced Manufacturing Program (DIDIAMP) -- students learn how they can join and experience more events focused on manufacturing, such as technology tours at local companies, day and week-long camps, STEM Wars and more -- while earning digital badges for each experience for their resume
- Conversations with industry professionals over lunch and ice cream, manufactured at Wells Enterprises in Dunkirk.
Girls in Manufacturing Day is made possible through educators and industry partners working in collaboration to fuel excitement and interest in advanced manufacturing and the opportunities it offers. The success of the day was also made possible by Jamestown Community College instructor Tim Piazza, Blackstone Advanced Technologies, guest speakers Jen Okleja from Renold Ajax and Alexa Dole from Cummins, and DIDIWNY's Jen Burlee and Cindy Aronson.
Photos by Dream It Do It WNY
