COLUMBUS, Neb. - Students at East Butler got a sneak peek on what the manufacturing world looks like at Behlen Manufacturing in Columbus on Tuesday.
Behlen hosted the students as a part of 'Manufacturing Month', a statewide effort led by the governor to celebrate the industry that employs nearly 100,000 people in Nebraska.
Chairman of Behlen TR Raimondo, spoke with the students at the beginning of their tour. He told them that if they are unsure what they want to do, then go get in a skill in a trade, so they're financially secure when they pursue their dreams.
"There are opportunities to get certificates, get two year education, get skills and if you get skills, you can pay the bills for education," says Raimondo.
Raimondo, who helped bring the 'Dream It. Do It.' program to Nebraska, believes the answer to lessening the skills gap is a partnership between education and business.
"We can show the students what an accountant does, what an engineer does, we have all the careers," says Raimondo.
Behlen is not alone in showing off their facilities to students this month. 63 companies are giving tours as a part of Manufacturing Month, in hopes of putting the youth in good position for the future.
"We need to work harder at helping students understand what careers to take to get paying jobs in the global digital economy," says Raimondo.
Behlen Opens Its Doors to Give High Schoolers Sneak Peek on Business
