VPI, Inc. will graduate 16 students from Inclusion Manufacturing Camp Aug. 23.
The four-week inclusive manufacturing summer camp, in partnership with Nuts, Bolts, & Thingamajigs Foundation, is designed to help train and prepare young adults with disabilities for employment in manufacturing, while also showing local employers that this group of individuals is a viable option to meet their workforce demands.
As employers look to be more creative with ways to fill their workforce needs and close skills gaps, training individuals with disabilities to do these jobs is a viable option. During the camp, VPI staff facilitated interactive activities designed to improve “soft” skills, help individuals gain confidence in their abilities, and explore careers in various manufacturing environments.
Campers participated in paid work experiences on a variety of VPI production lines to develop the “hard” skills needed for these manufacturing jobs and toured local manufacturing facilities including J.J. Keller, Pierce Manufacturing, Great Northern Corporation, and 4imprint to learn about the wide variety of industries and jobs in manufacturing.
“Some campers now feel empowered to look people in eye, advocate for themselves, or know how to articulate their concerns at work. They feel confident that they can do a job and do it well. For others, it might spark a passion in manufacturing and completely change their perspective on future careers and goals” said Kaitlin Gassner, VPI, Inc. education programs coordinator.
