SJBiz_NJMEP_Profile_8_24_Profile 8 / 7 / 24 9 : 34 AM Page 1 PROMOTION profile where in the state . Combining a mix of ap - proaches like presentations , education and hands - on demonstrations yielding tangible products allows Banks and the rest of the tour Spotlight on South Jersey teamto inspire as many students as possible to see themselves in a manufacturing career — one where the average full - time employee makes From empowering today’s industry to encouraging over $ 75,000 annually . tomorrow’s talent , NJMEP is setting its sights on the And just like it takes a village to nurture a state’s southern manufacturers . BY MADELEINE MACCAR youngster’s career aspirations , it also takes a col - lective to make a program like this a reality . NJMEP hen Larry Banks speaks with school - “ If they want to showcase , they’ll have spe - is quick to credit partners like New Jersey’s Eco - children across New Jersey’s 21 coun - cialinclusion in the Made in New Jersey program nomicDevelopment Authority and Business Ac - Wties during the Future Makers and andduring that display that gets covered by so tionCenter for their financial assistance and gen - Creators Tour , he asks his young audiences to manymedia outlets , ” says Womack . “ They’ll also eralsupport , as well as emphasize the importance guess how many manufacturers call The Garden havethe option to join the South Jersey Manu - ofgrant awards . State home . facturing Council , which is going to be an indus - “ We offer free training programs using our “ The answers I get are : ‘ Two ? ’ ‘ Four ? ’ ‘ Sev - try - focused initiative bringing in the businesses grantmoney to help cover [ students ’ ] ongoing ed - en ? ’ And then I’ll tell them ‘ Yeah , you’re close — inthose local areas to create a think tank to drive ucation , ” Banks adds . “ We’ll come to these we have over 9,000 manufacturers operating theirideas of what they need in terms of support , schoolsand say , ‘ Hey , your students fell in love with throughout the state . ’ The kids are shocked , un - andhow the state — and also the industry — can thevirtual - reality welding and now it’s something til I start telling them about all the products that comeout to support those South Jersey manu - they’reconsidering . We’ll run a course for your stu - are being made right in their back - dentsat no cost . ’ That way , they can get yard , ” says Banks , manager of New involvedand , when they’re done , we Jersey Manufacturing Extension providea scholarship that helps them Program’s ( NJMEP’s ) Pro - Action get their welding certification — or , I’ll Education Network & Workforce findan entity that can do the certifica - Development . tion and we’ll do the training that way . ” He and the NJMEP team are Banksnotes that he came into the keenly aware of how much education FutureMakers and Creators Tour with is still needed to spread awareness loftyand optimistic expectations , and about the vast potential and possi - thosehigh hopes have been wildly ex - bilities the statewide manufacturing ceededalready . industry possesses , driving the train - “ It’s been amazing ! ” he says . ing and consulting firm to constant - “ What I really love about it is , yes , we’re ly expand and refine its program - talking to the kids and we’re getting ming that celebrates , empowers themengaged , but it’s really about hav - and supports today’s manufacturers ingthis support system in place that be - while positioning them for an even lievesin them , their parents and teach - stronger future . ers seeing them engaged . At every sin - NJMEP’s annual Made in New gle stop , we’ve seen parents , grand - Jersey Manufacturing Day strives to do all that and facturers . … This isn’t an event where everyone’s parents , guidance counselors and teachers watch more , and its 2024 installment — scheduled for Oct . tryingto talk to manufacturers : This is an event built astudent become engaged and excited in a way 4 in Freehold — is the first one to “ focus on engag - aroundthat base so they can meet and network they’venever seen . ” ing and bringing out those South Jersey manu - witheach other , and the opportunity to be a real NJMEPinvites local schools and manufactur - facturers who are so often overlooked , ” accord - inspirationto the next generation is there , too . ” ersto get involved by visiting NJMEP.org / Mak - ing to Senior Marketing & Communications NJMEPnurtures the future of manufacturing ersAndCreators.There , manufacturing business - Manager Michael Womack . year - round , with youth outreach happening at escan ask to join the tour and connect with stu - “ It’s a very industry - focused event , ” he con - placeslike the NJ State Fair this summer and the dentsby showing them the human side of New tinues . “ There’s going to be suppliers , cus - ongoingFuture Makers and Creators Tour , which Jerseymanufacturing , while schools can request w tomersand buyers , and they have massive access partnerswith the likes of the New Jersey Econom - tobe a stop on the tour . to the trade room floor . And they’ll have the op - icDevelopment Authority . Since December , the portunity to nominate themselves or friends ’ busi - tour has been met with boundless enthusiasm , nesses to become Made in New Jersey Manufac - energeticparticipation and tons of questions from turer of the Year award winners . ” the nearly 2,500 middle schoolers in Pleas - South Jersey’s manufacturers are invited to get antville , Plainfield , Piscataway and Orange the tour involved with the annual event , which Womack has visited so far , with the Camden area , Mercer says brought together nearly 1,000 people rep - County and Toms River up next . resenting 600 different manufacturing companies Those students have been introduced to the NewJersey Manufacturing lastyear . He adds that discount programs for not likes of interactive robots , 3D printers , welding only tickets but also booth space for those wish - tools and the NJMEP training RV , a specially con - ExtensionProgram ingto publicize their services onsite are some of verted Winnebago that can be configured in an Bellmawr , Cedar Knolls theperks available to the region’s manufacturing array of ways to make education even more ac - ( 973 ) 998 - 9801 | NJMEP.org professionals . cessible by going directly into communities any - SouthJerseyBiz.net | VOLUME 14 ISSUE 8 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | 9