A little more than 100 students in Jackson-Madison County Schools got a chance to see what life if like in a number of local manufacturing facilities during Manufacturing Day.
It was a chance where students from different schools throughout the county got some time to talk with representatives from at least one of about 12 facilities that participated in the event, learn about what they do, the benefits of working for that company in Jackson, opportunities they might have to move up in the corporation and educational options they would need to be able to work there.
About 20 students from Early College High toured Berry Global on Thursday morning.
Berry Global is a company that makes plastic bottles and other storage containers that are used all over the world.
They said the majority of pill bottles that are dispensed at Walgreen’s and CVS pharmacies are made in a Berry facility.
During the tour, the students watched the finish product that is a lid that goes on a container for laundry detergent pods come off the line as well.
The students were attentive and asked intriguing questions of the department heads at Berry as well as a couple of new employees who are there as part of an on-the-job learning model connected with Jackson State Community College.
Some of the department heads are from Jackson or West Tennessee and moved up the ladder within the building, and others are from other regions where there are Berry Global locations and they transferred in as they’re moving up the corporate ladder.
But they all discussed the importance of getting an education and how specific STEAM education training can lead to a career at Berry Global or any other similar manufacturer.
Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news
Of course they only toured the air-conditioned plants and failed to mention the 12 hour days and all the Saturday & Sunday work that will be required. The also fail to mention that hourly employees are treated like inlisted men while the salary people are treated like officers.