• Oakland County Manufacturing Day is celebrating its 10th year by recognizing alumni who have gone on to launch careers in the field.
• Oakland County Manufacturing Day 2024 will take place Friday, Oct. 4 when 1,000 students from 28 high schools and four technical campuses will visit 34 advanced manufacturing facilities.
• Since 2015, more than 10,000 students and 103 companies have participated in Oakland County Manufacturing Day.

Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County Manufacturing Day marks its 10th anniversary this year, with 1,000 students from 28 high schools and four technical campuses set to visit 34 advanced manufacturing facilities on Friday, Oct. 4.

Since 2015, more than 10,000 students have participated in Oakland County Manufacturing Day. The event has involved 103 companies, which have hosted tours to give students a firsthand look at modern manufacturing operations and potential career paths.

“We’re excited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Oakland County Manufacturing Day,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “This day gives our students the perfect chance to talk with seasoned professionals and explore what their future might look like.”

Manufacturing Day Alumni to Be Recognized

As part of this year’s celebration, organizers are recognizing alumni of Oakland County Manufacturing Day who have pursued careers in the advanced manufacturing industry.

Two women who attended the Oakland Schools Technical Campus in Wixom and participated in Manufacturing Day during high school now work at NLB Corporation, a Wixom-based manufacturer of high-pressure water jetting systems. Mia Wroblewski, 19, is a welder, and Kiley Milorch, 20, is a machinist.

“I’m a very hands-on worker—that’s why I was attracted to the trade world,” Wroblewski said. “I talk to the older workers all the time and they share a lot of advice. They take you under their wing and share tips and tricks to make the job easier and more efficient.”

Milorch said that challenging projects and mentorship from veteran machinists sparked her interest in skilled trades.

“You look up to them and learn from them and, at the same time, they are very inspired by the younger generations of workers coming into the field,” she said.

NLB Corporation COO Bryce Mulligan said the company had struggled for years to attract new workers, leading them to take a new approach by establishing a relationship with the Oakland Schools Technical Campus in Wixom and participating in events like Manufacturing Day.

“Oakland County Manufacturing Day provides us with the opportunity to showcase ourselves to young people who are not familiar with what we do,” Mulligan said. “The key is to reach students when they are younger and introduce them to the great opportunities that manufacturing provides.”

Bobby Larvick, 27, who attended the Oakland Schools Technical Campus in Clarkston, participated in the first Manufacturing Day in 2015. After high school, he enrolled in the Michigan Advanced Technical Training (MAT2) program and worked at EMAG LLC in Farmington Hills, where he completed a three-year mechatronics apprenticeship. Today, Larvick is a full-time mechatronics technician and apprentice trainer at EMAG.

“I was always interested in CNC machining and automation,” Larvick said. “I had the opportunity to co-op at a couple manufacturing companies in high school and Manufacturing Day my senior year exposed me to more career opportunities. My apprenticeship at EMAG was great."

Manufacturing Day 2024 Participants

On Oakland County Manufacturing Day, students will receive a close-up look at the jobs of engineers, technicians, skilled trade employees and support staff during a three-hour tour. Participants will step into design labs, testing centers, production pods and other manufacturing environments during the tours.

The 2024 roster of tour hosts includes 3-Dimensional Services Group, AAM Metal Forming – Royal Oak, ABB Inc., AirBoss Engineered Products, Ascent Aerospace, AkzoNobel, Atlas Copco, BLM Group USA, BorgWarner, Brose North America, Convergix Automation Solutions, Cosma Body Assembly Michigan, EMAG, FANUC America Corporation, FATA Automation, Inc., Hirotec America, Hi-Tech Mold & Engineering, Humanetics, MacLean-Fogg, Martin Technologies, Mayville Engineering Company, NLB Corp, Oakland Community College, PolyFlexProducts, Inc., Shannon Precision Fastner, Signarama, SK International, Three M Tool & Machine, Inc., Triple Inc., Visioneering, Inc., Webasto, WENZEL America and Williams International.

Media interested in interviews or participating in a tour should contact Joe St. Henry, 248-459-0706, or sthenryj@oakgov.com.

About Oakland County Manufacturing Day

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Oakland County Manufacturing Day is designed to introduce students to the many in-demand, rewarding careers in modern manufacturing and the skilled trades. These include quality control, logistics, welding, design and engineering, maintenance, PLC robotics, mechatronics, metallurgy, metrology and project management. In 2019, the National Association of Counties (NACo) recognized Oakland County with a “Best in Category” achievement award for Manufacturing Day. The award recognizes innovative and effective programming that benefits residents.

Oakland County Michigan Works!, the Oakland County Department of Economic Development, Oakland Schools and Oakland Community College have partnered to organize this year’s event.Financial sponsors include BLM Group USA, FANUC America Corp., FATA Automation, Inc., Humanetics, Polyflex Products, Inc., Triple Inc. and Williams International.

For more information, visit OakGov.com/MfgDay or MfgDay.com (national website). Follow the event on social media: #MFGDay24, #MfgOak.