NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Day: Connect, Learn, Collaborate!

The audience gained knowledge on topics ranging from AI to medical marijuana’s impact on the workplace to how to attract and retain a talented workforce.

There was not one winner last Friday at Mohegan Pennsylvania Convention Center in Wilkes-Barre Twp.; there were hundreds, because the 2024 Manufacturing Best Practices Summit and Expo—the region’s largest manufacturing trade show and networking event—brought together more than 100 manufacturers and industry advocates exhibiting their products and services, along with nearly 500 eventgoers to learn from world-class speakers and one another.

Chris Czarnik, Award-Winning Author & Subject Matter Expert shared with the audience the importance of working hard to attract and retain talented employees.

Organized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC), this event provided an opportunity for manufacturers from an 11-county region to gather to learn, collaborate and forge new partnerships with other manufacturers, while also hearing from knowledgeable speakers on a variety of topics including: effectively using the power of AI, navigating safety concerns and policies around medical marijuana, unlocking leadership potential with emotional intelligence coaching, and learning the best practices to attract and retain talented employees—to name a few.

“There are so many long-term gains from this one-day event. Manufacturers learn from one another and from the speakers we choose specifically with their needs in mind. Our hope is that attendees take what they’ve learned today and apply it to their businesses for the benefit of their employees, operational processes, and customers. When they succeed, our region shines,” said Chelsey Coslett-Traver, NEPIRC’s Manager of Marketing & Stakeholder Engagement.

NEPIRC President and CEO Eric Joseph Esoda welcomed nearly 500 attendees to the 2024 Manufacturing Day Best Practices Summit and Expo.

Manufacturing Day offered a host of valuable breakout sessions and panel discussions, such as “Building High Performance Compensation Systems: How to Get Your Team Rowing in the Same Direction,” with Mike Pickreign, Tech 42, breakout session sponsor; a Cybersecurity & CMMC panel discussion with moderator Kara Smith, NEPA Alliance APEX Accelerator, panel discussion sponsor; industry-specific sessions presented by NEPIRC’s subject matter experts, and the event closed with The Wall Street Journal bestselling co-authors Katie Desiderio, Ph.D. and Michael Frino, Ph.D. who presented “Becoming a Be Keeper,” a discussion on resiliency, grit, and determination in the workplace among constant change.

NEPIRC Board of Directors member and Dream Team ambassador Kate Logan, who is the quality systems manager at Noble Biomaterials Inc. in Scranton, took part in the panel discussion, “Refueling the Talent Pipeline: Sparking Careers in Manufacturing.”

Kate Logan, NEPIRC board of directors’ member and NEPIRC Dream Team ambassador, who is the quality systems manager at Noble Biomaterials Inc. in Scranton, was part of a panel discussion featuring members of NEPIRC’s Dream Team. The panelists addressed misperceptions people may have when they think about manufacturing.

She said, “Manufacturing may have the stereotype as a dark, dirty, dangerous career path to some, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Typical facilities are bright, clean, and safety is always at the forefront of our day-to-day operations.”

Logan went on to discuss other benefits of careers in manufacturing, such as educational opportunities, compensation and potential career advancement.

“I hope to help inspire the next generation by sharing insights about manufacturing industries, discussing diversity of roles available, tuition reimbursement and highlighting the importance of skilled workers in NEPA,” Logan added.

Thanks to sponsor Lackawanna College Continuing Education, a group of nearly 70 students from Lackawanna County Career Technology Center, Mountain View, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre Area high schools listened to the panel discussion, explored the exhibits and gained insight from representatives at Lackawanna College who spoke to them about necessary skills for job placement. 

Keynote speaker Chris Czarnik, coach, trainer, author and subject matter expert, imparted knowledge from his 20 years of research on talent recruiting, engagement and retention to empower listeners with information to secure a talented workforce.

NEPIRC delivered on its promise to connect manufacturers and provide education to help them further succeed.

Ashley Machine & Tool, located in West Wyoming, was a sponsor of Manufacturing Day with the following employees on hand: Ronald Wellington, Jacob Boedeker, Zachary Mulhern and Michael Merryman. Mulhern, who is the materials manager at Ashley Machine & Tool, and is a member of NEPIRC’s Dream Team, participated in the panel discussion along with Logan.

Materials Manager at Ashley Machine & Tool Co. Zachary J. Mulhern said, “It is impossible to put a dollar figure on the valuable knowledge gained from Manufacturing Day. Not only did it enable our company to reach local colleges and universities to help create a talent pipeline for the workforce, it also allowed us to meet vendors within our region. We have gained an abundance of knowledge on machine practices, employee engagement, and so much more!”

While the event is helping companies operationally, it is also having an impact on individual growth.

Mulhern said, “This event not only has helped better automate our company, but it has given me insight into being a better leader.”

In addition, Manufacturing Day is an opportunity to show that the gender gap is closing in the manufacturing sector with more women taking on leadership roles.

Logan said, “We are vice presidents, we are managers, we are supervisors, we are boards of directors’ members, and we are leaders. In a historically male-dominated field, women are breaking stereotypes and bringing fresh perspectives to the table which is why female senior management positions have risen to 29 percent (as of 2019). Seeing a broader talent pool in manufacturing shows that companies encourage inclusivity. I am proud to be part of it!”

For more information on the 2024 Manufacturing Day Best Practices Summit and Expo, visit the NEPIRC website, www.nepirc.com.