On Tuesday, October 9, SPEC Engineering and CandyWorx participated in Manufacturing Day at Joliet Junior College. This event, hosted by Three Rivers Educational Partnership (TREP), introduces area high school students to manufacturing and showcases the variety of STEM occupations and applications.

SPEC and CandyWorx joined 45 local organizations to make a louder voice about manufacturing’s strong local presence. There is a high need for science, technology, engineering, and math skills in the workplace. Current estimates have 3.5 million manufacturing job openings projected in 2025, with nearly 2 million going unfilled because of the skills gap.

We enjoyed introducing our engineering and manufacturing capabilities to the students. Our engineering capabilities were showcased through our virtual reality walkthrough and our Revolv Belt Coater was an example of our manufacturing capabilities.