Auburn to celebrate National Manufacturing Day with open house event Oct. 3

The City of Auburn will celebrate National Manufacturing Day, Friday, Oct. 3, with an open house and tour of the Auburn Training Connection at 1500 Pumphrey Ave. from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hosted by Auburn's Economic Development Department and the Auburn Technical Assistance Center – the Alabama Technology Network center at Auburn University's Raymond J. Harbert College of Business – the open house includes a tour of the machining lab used by Auburn High School's Industrial Technology Program, a demonstration of the student-built “Bug-E” electric car and a demonstration of the aviation flight simulator used to train Auburn University flight students.

Auburn is home to 52 major manufacturing firms, employing more than 4,800 people and providing an estimated annual payroll of nearly $114 million. Its manufacturing base is centered on mid-sized, high-tech manufacturing and research firms. Products range from small engines, automotive wheels, fuel cells and plastic injection technology to vehicle armor and jet aircraft engines. Moreover, the city has become a hub of support manufacturing to a major automotive industry in the region.

Auburn also is home to four large industrial parks, where new and expanding industry has invested more than $1.1 billion since 1994.

The Auburn Training Connection – formed 10 years ago to address a local growing workforce training need – is a unique partnership among Auburn area industry, Auburn University, Auburn City Schools, the City of Auburn and the Auburn Industrial Development Board. Its purpose is to provide a central training location to support local manufacturing industry.

The ATC now serves as the workforce development arm of the City of Auburn and employs a full-time workforce development director. Its seven-member governing board is comprised of three representatives from local industry, two government officials and two education officials. ATC programs include:

• Ongoing training tailored to the needs of local industry;
• Auburn High School's Career Technical Education curriculum;
• Skill sets taught in high school program that are defined by area industry;
• Dual credit courses (college credit for high school courses);
• Industrial Systems and Maintenance Program;
• Annual Summer Manufacturing Academy (for incoming 9th graders).

For more information, go to http://virtual.auburnworks.org/profiles/blogs/auburn-observing-manufacturing-day-oct-3-with-atc-open-house?xg_source=activity.