The Iowa Valley Education & Training Center hosted a Discover Your Future event with nearly 80 people in attendance. The focus of the event was on careers in the manufacturing sector. -Iowa Valley photo

Marshalltown- Have you ever wondered what skills are needed to work in the manufacturing sector? What education levels are required? Iowa Valley Education & Training Center, Iowa Valley Continuing Education and IowaWorks conducted an event to address those questions and more for nearly 80 local residents. The program was held in conjunction with National Apprenticeship Week last month.

The Discover Your Future event focused on the manufacturing industry and what skills, education levels and experiences are involved with specific manufacturing jobs. A variety of local employers were in attendance to visit with people looking for jobs, including Iowa Premium Beef (Tama), Amwood Homes (Toledo), Emerson / Fisher (Marshalltown), Raymon Enterprises (Albion), , Marshalltown Company (Marshalltown), Green Products Company (Conrad), , Jeld-Wen (Grinnell), JBS (Marshalltown), Lennox (Marshalltown) and Alliant Energy (Marshalltown). The WIOA Youth Program also had a booth at the event.

Alliant Energy kicked off the event, telling about the company’s apprenticeship program. Alliant employees told about their experiences going through the apprenticeship program and how it benefitted them. Various other manufacturing sector employees then spoke about their companies, skills required, and what it’s like to work in those industries.

This “pilot event” was open by invitation only. Because of the event’s success for participants and participating businesses, additional Discover Your Future events focused on agriculture and health careers will be developed and opened to the public.