ALEXANDRIA, La., (WNTZ) — In recognition of October being designated nationally as Manufacturing Month, Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) will host a variety of activities throughout the month highlighting manufacturing opportunities throughout Central Louisiana.

“Manufacturing is a critical component of our Central Louisiana economy, and CLTCC is focused on offering educational and training opportunities utilizing state-of-the-art technology to help students develop the skills they need to enjoy a career in a high-wage, high-demand job with one of our local manufacturing companies,” said CLTCC Chancellor Dr. Jimmy Sawtelle. “This isn’t something we do just for Manufacturing Month, this is something we emphasize year-round at our Cleco Advanced Manufacturing Center in Alexandria and with programs at each of our campuses. To highlight everything we have going on will take more than just October as we will be focused on highlighting our manufacturing programs with activities in October and November.”

The first official activity will be Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 6. More than 60 area high
school students have been invited to spend the morning from 9 a.m. until noon meeting with
industry leaders at the Cleco Advanced Manufacturing Center. In addition, CLTCC will be
partnering with local manufacturing companies to expand awareness and recruit future
manufacturing professionals.

On Friday, October 27, CLTCC will host a Manufacturing Expo from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. This event is designed to allow CLTCC students to meet with area industry leaders.

In addition to these scheduled events, high school students will be touring the campus throughout October and November. Also, CLTCC’s Mobile Lab will be making stops at various locations throughout the month. For updates on events, check the CLTCC website at www.CLTCC.edu or see the college’s Facebook page.

CLTCC will also participate in the annual Students Exploring Career Opportunities (SECO) event November 15-16 at the Randolph Riverfront Center in Alexandria. This annual event, hosted by the Orchard Foundation, is for 10th and 12th grade students from a nine-parish region.

SECO provides a dynamic venue for students to experience simulations and demonstrations from industries such as information technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, construction, finance, and others. It is specifically designed to provide tangible hands-on activities aimed at fostering student engagement and ultimately sparking an interest in future
careers.