Student/Manufacturer Connection Fair Comes to Hartford

From the Connecticut General Assembly: Rep. Liz Linehan welcomed hundreds of technical high school students to the Capitol today for the first-ever Student →Manufacturer Connection Fair.

Students met with representatives from Connecticut manufacturing companies across the state who had booths set up on the first floor of the Capitol, providing manufacturers an opportunity to showcase their work and students a chance to explore potential career paths.

The fair was presented in partnership with Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz (D Berlin/Southington),Manufacturing Caucus Chair Sen. Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury), Rep. Geraldo Reyes (D-Waterbury), and the Connecticut Technical High School System (CTHSS).

“My goal was to connect students with local manufacturers to give them a sense of all the opportunities available in this industry, and that’s what we saw that happening here today. We need students and their parents to understand that manufacturing offers skilled, well-paying careers with room for growth,” Rep. Linehan said. “Connecticut’s manufacturing industry is thriving, and our job as legislators is to continue reinforcing the school-to-career pipeline. I’d like to thank all of the manufacturers who joined us today and the Connecticut Technical High School System for making this happen.”

“The turnout was exceptional. The technical schools are truly recognizing the opportunities that exist for their students, and I appreciate them bringing the students in to meet with us today,” Jeff Hughes, Vice President of Human Resources at EDAC Technologies said. “The fair really cut down on the time it takes to get in front of students and talk about our work.”

“It was great to see so many young students interested in technology. I spoke with them about how important it is to be well-versed in math and the sciences,” Tim McHenry, Director of Quality and Metallurgy at Consolidated Industries said. “There’s such a demand for workers with a strong math and science background – we can’t get enough of them.”

“Participating in the fair was well worth the effort,” Alicia Jacobsen of Hobson & Motzer, Inc. said. “I met more students today than I would in a year of visiting schools myself.”

Hobson & Motzer is currently expanding at an additional facility in Wallingford, creating 75 new jobs.

Photo courtesy of the Connecticut General Assembly