Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools November 2014 | Page 10

Students explore career options during Manufacturing Awareness Week

Hundreds of Union County Public Schools students went behind
Including its joint programs with other manufacturers, Turbomeca
the scenes to see what it takes to be a manufacturer.
is the world’s leading provider of helicopter engines, with customers
UCPS joined South Piedmont Community College and the Union
including the US Army and the US Coast Guard.
County Chamber of Commerce for Manufacturing Awareness Week.
Thomas Assaid, a line manager at SAFRAN Turbomeca, led tours
“The whole point of this week is to increase awareness about the
through his facility. He explained what the various high tech pieces of
benefits of manufacturing,”
equipment did in the process of
said Union County Chamber
making helicopter parts.
of Commerce president Pat

Samia Usmani, and
Kahle. “We’re looking at what
Elizabeth Reidy, both 10th
is made here in Union County
graders at Marvin Ridge High
and why it’s important to have
School said they enjoyed the
manufacturers here. It’s about
tours and felt they had learned
looking at the diversification of
a lot.
our tax base, supporting our

“I didn’t really know much
school system, supporting our
about manufacturing,” said
infrastructure and creating job
Reidy. “This is totally different
in Union County.”
than what I thought it would
Kahle said the event was
be.”
open to Union County Public

“The robotics was really
Schools students in order to
cool and to see how it all
help them make career choices.
works,” Usmani said. “The
“This is about helping young
things they make her are so
people who are trying to figure
important for every day stuff
out what their career choices
like helicopters.”
may be, helping parents who

A Manufacturing Showcase,
might be trying to guide their
Network with Manufactures
students, and about letting
was also held at South
Thomas Assaid, at left, at Safron line manager, talks about a piece of a
educators know that there
Piedmont Community College
helicopter engine that is made at his facility. Also pictured are, from left,
are very good paying jobs in
on Oct. 2.
Samia Usmani, and Elizabeth Reidy, both 10th graders at Marvin Ridge
manufacturing here in Union

Union County Public
High School, and Jonathan Waldron, at right, a 10th grader at Porter
County and that it’s a great
Schools Career and Technical
Ridge High School.
career choice,” Kahle said.
Education, South Piedmont
Tours were held on Sept. 30.
Community College and a few
at Greiner Bio-One and Goulston Technologies, Inc.; and on Oct. 1 at
manufacturers also shared Career and College Promise Pathways,
internship and apprenticeship opportunities available to students and
QEMS and SAFRAN Turbomeca USA.
to guidance counselors at an afternoon session at South Piedmont
Greiner Bio-One North America, Inc. is a privately held plastic
manufacturing company located in Monroe. Its four divisions manufacture Community College on Oct. 2.
Local manufacturers, the Union County Chamber of Commerce
a variety of plastic products for the medical and research fields.
along with Monroe Union County Economic Development provided an
Goulston Technologies, Inc. developes chemistry and processes
added incentive for the school system.
needed to manufacture fiber lubricant products.
The high school with the greatest participation will receive $3,000
Quality Electronic Manufacturing Services, Inc. (QEMS) is a
to invest in new STEM technology. The student who is the most active
manufacturer of printed circuit board assemblies, cable assemblies,
in social media using #makeitinuc will win an I-Pad Air. Winners will
and electronic systems. In addition, the company produces a wide
be announced later this week.
variety of cable assemblies and cable harnesses.
SAFRAN Turbomeca specializes in the design, production, sale
--This article was written by Deb Coates Bledsoe and provided courtesy
and support of low to medium power gas turbines for helicopters.
of the Communications Office of the Union County Public Schools.

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8 • Nov/Dec 2014 • Parent Teacher Magazine 

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