BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Students at the Broken Arrow Freshman Academy got a hands-on introduction to manufacturing careers, building structures out of gumdrops and dried spaghetti as part of a lesson designed to show them what working in the industry is really like.
The event was organized through a collaboration between the school and the Broken Arrow Economic Development Corporation, which invited local manufacturers to campus to connect with students at an age when many begin thinking seriously about their futures.
"There's a lot of manufacturing that takes place in Broken Arrow. We've got over 300 different manufacturing companies in Broken Arrow alone," said Deandre Fahie, a representative from the Economic Development Corporation.
The exercise was more than just a fun activity. Organizers said it was designed to highlight one of the most essential skills in manufacturing.
"The biggest thing is collaboration," said Christopher Morgan with Boeing, one of the participating manufacturers.
Manufacturing in Broken Arrow covers a wide range of career paths — from welding, plumbing, and HVAC to aerospace, engineering, and even sales, marketing, and accounting — challenging the idea that manufacturing means only working on an assembly line.
"The industry is booming and so it's important for these young people to know about the disciplines and opportunities that are out there," Fahie said. "The younger that kids know about these opportunities and understand how to get to them, the better chance they have to pursue those and have a great career."
Organizers also emphasized that a four-year college degree is not the only path into the field.
"You don't always have to get a four-year degree to get into the industry," Fahie said. "Oftentimes an employer will say, 'You come work in our shop for a year, and then we will pay for you to go back to school and get a degree in engineering or to get a specific certificate that we are looking for.' So both paths are an option for students."
For the students, the day offered a new perspective on an industry they may not have considered before.
"I think it's really important to see what the real world is actually like in manufacturing, and it also changes some people's view on manufacturing — like, oh, it could seem boring, but it's a really interesting and important thing," said Jamasia Malina, a student at the academy.
The manufacturers said they hope the experience plants a seed for future hiring.
"We're just grateful that we can come and share our experiences, so maybe we can get a couple more people when they graduate from their school and they want to come in and join our family," Morgan said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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