Manufacturing Doors Open event in Kawartha Lakes links young people to future trades opportunities

Kawartha Lakes manufacturers and local educators came together recently at an event designed to connect the next generation of workers with employment opportunities in the city.

About 30 people, mostly educators as well as representatives from the city, including Mayor Doug Elmslie, boarded a school bus that travelled to three manufacturing plants – Mariposa Dairy, Brooklin Concrete Products and Armada Automotive – to tour the facilities, meet company representatives, learn about their operations and network during the Manufacturing Doors Open Tour.

The event was hosted by Kawartha Lakes Economic Development, the Workforce Development Board, Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board and Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.

“Events like Manufacturing Doors Open play a vital role in bridging the gap between education and industry, showcasing career pathways and the skills needed for the future workforce,” said Lindsey Schoenmakers, economic development officer for Kawartha Lakes.

“By connecting students, job seekers and educators with local employers, these events help inspire the next generation of skilled workers while addressing current workforce challenges.”

This was the second Manufacturing Doors Open event; the first was held in 2022.

Alan Stanley, the head of business and technology studies at I.E. Weldon Secondary School, told the Advocate he was attending the event for the second time.

During the first stop at Mariposa Dairy, North America’s leading producer of private-label goat and sheep cheese, Stanley said the most exciting part of the day for him was seeing how “incredible” and “impressive” facilities like this are.

Established in Kawartha Lakes in 1989, Mariposa crafts its award-winning cheese in two facilities covering more than 80,000 square feet.

Following a presentation on the company from Mariposa representatives, Stanley said what inspired him to attend this year’s event was the prospect of finding opportunities to connect students with local industry.

“I (want) to make it my focus to make sure we have an emphasis on the opportunities for our students coming out of high school and moving into the world of work, whether that be post-secondary education or skilled trades,” Stanley said.

Also attending the event for the second time was St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School co-op teacher David Saunders.

Like Stanley, Saunders said Manufacturing Doors Open presents valuable opportunities for educators to connect with local businesses and learn what they have to offer so they can bring that information back to their students and, hopefully, pique their interest in career opportunities in Kawartha Lakes.

“I think going into the factories, into the production facilities and seeing their processes, seeing what they do and all the different types of jobs that exist in there, I can speak to my students about what their next steps might be if they’re interested (in working for these companies),” Saunders said.

Saunders also underscored the importance of the networking prospects stemming from Manufacturing Doors Open.

“It’s great to connect with local industry to see what the opportunities are for the kids here, because they need employees and our students need jobs, so making those connections is what we do,” he said.

There were also educators who were first-time participants at this year’s event, including Kathleen Alfredsson, who teaches physics and mathematics at I.E. Weldon.

Alfredsson noted her husband is a power-line technician and that she’s interested in the trades and wanted to see what local opportunities exist in manufacturing for students entering the job market.

“I try to always bring (employment information) into my classes, and it was a great opportunity to see lots of positions that are available to my students with varying skill sets,” she said.

Alfredsson said what excited her most about the event was meeting different employers in Kawartha Lakes who are keen to hire young people as well as gathering information she can relay to her students.

“It has been a fantastic day; I’m really glad that I was able to participate,” she said.

Another stop on the tour was Brooklin Concrete. Established in 1952, Brooklin Concrete is one of Canada’s largest precast concrete manufacturers. The company is a large-scale producer of patio slabs and retaining walls as well as precast hydro vaults and septic system products.

Tour participants – including the Advocate – were provided a presentation about the company’s history and products. With everyone wearing hardhats, protective glasses and safety toe covers, guests were guided through the manufacturing facility by operations manager Alain Bou-Daher.

Bou-Daher said events like Manufacturing Doors Open bring “a lot of benefits” to Brooklin Concrete by raising awareness of the company with the generation preparing to enter the workforce.

“We like to see the young people interested in this kind of industry,” he said. “If they show interest in these kinds of manufacturing processes, it’s going to help us hire, train and keep people who can make a career here.”

Bou-Daher added that Brooklin Concrete is a company with strong employee retention and has had employees serve the company for decades.

“They are proud of their accomplishment, so it’s a career people can build here,” he said.

The school bus’s final stop was Armada Automotive. Founded as a tool shop in 1972, Armada manufactures automotive assemblies and components for all the major original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and Tier 2 supplies worldwide.

The company has grown to become a leading supplier of custom engineered and plastic moulded automotive components and assemblies for many of the major automotive companies across the globe.

Door handles, cup holders, licence-plate holders and roof vents are some of the many products the company produces.

During the stop at Armada, participants toured the manufacturing facility and learned about the products the company makes.

Richard Hammill, Armada’s human resources manager, said events like Manufacturing Doors Open are important because they help connect Armada to local educators and students to create employment pathways.

“It’s very important because I like to see who’s interested and I like to see who’s out there in the community and who’s looking forward to working in a place like this,” he said.