Clayton Co. Advanced Manufacturing Day

By Caroline Rosacker

Fifty-five local students from MFL Mar-Mac, Postville, North Fayette Valley, Clayton Ridge and Elkader Central participated in Clayton County's Advanced Manufacturing Day on Oct. 21. The worksite exploratory event included Pattison Sand Mine in Clayton and Gencor – Bituma in Marquette. 

Those attending were interested in gaining work-based, hands-on learning skills, and networking. "During the Pattison worksite experience students learned about the business, including maintenance, heavy equipment operations and  they even got to 'blast' at one of the sites!" said Northeast Iowa Community College Career Coach Sarah Beaman. "The second site of the day was at Gencor where students learned the ins and outs of their business and were able to tour facilities and ask questions." 

Through these work-based learning experiences, students are able to more fully understand careers and network with people who are doing the job every day.  

The Clayton County Manufacturing Day was developed as a partnership with NICC's College & Career Connection (CCC) program and  Clayton County Development Group (CCDG).

Beaman is proud to represent NICC through CCC in Clayton County Schools.  "It is an amazing program which provides our students access to a college and career coach." she shared. "My job is to meet with students and help them plan their future. Sometimes they have quite a lot already planned out, other times they have no clue; either way is great."

Depending on the student's needs, Beaman works on several things throughout the student's high school career in order to help them be as prepared as possible when they graduate.  "The next step could be employment, an apprenticeship, short-term training, two-year or four-year schools, etc.," she explained. "Students do not have to plan to attend NICC to be involved with our CCC coaches."

Beaman provides students with mock interviews,  resume preparation, career outlook information, setting up job shadows, group events, helping with emails to instructors, setting up campus visits, planning for how NICC classes will transfer to other college programs, and registering them for local training and more.  

If you are an employer who is interested in bring students into your business, know of a student who could benefit from a college career coach, or have an idea for a future event contact Sarah Beaman at beamans@nicc.edu.