SUMTER, S.C. — The third-annual Manufacturers and Technology Expo brought bus loads of Sumter County students to Central Carolina Technical College for exposure to potential career opportunities.
Students from eight local middle schools received hands-on experience with computer technology and mechanical equipment. They also had the chance to meet employers to learn about jobs from cosmetology to bike repair.
"So often, students think that traditional manufacturing is dirty... or they have menial wages," Erika Williams, an event organizer, said. "We want to make sure that the students know that it's clean, you can make great wages, and it's not just about he wages, but you're actually making an impact."
The expo catered to eighth graders like Maggie Bryan, a Furman Middle School student.
"I chose to go here because it could open up a bunch of opportunities for me," Bryan said. "I like thinking about things like building things and making things better. It's definitely something I want to do."
Sumter County has manufacturing opportunities that Williams says she hopes to expose students to early.
"Eighth grade is when they actually make their decision of their career cluster as they move toward high school," Williams said. "The bulk of the jobs that are here are going to be manufacturing-related. We put this festival in place to show them all of the opportunities."
News 19's Street Squad discovered this story while talking to people in Sumter's community.
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