Ashley Furniture Hosts Students to Celebrate Manufacturing Day

October 31, 2024  by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry   

Ashley continues to invest in future leaders by showcasing a variety of career pathways and providing them with a first-hand look at working in the industry. National Manufacturing Day is celebrated on the first Friday of October across the country.

During their visits, students learned about Ashley’s cutting-edge manufacturing operations, featuring a wide range of advanced robotics and automation systems. They had the opportunity to interact with Ashley employees across various departments, including product design, automation, fabrication, assembly and quality.

The tour emphasized the significant economic impact of manufacturing on local communities and the essential role that manufacturing plays in driving economic growth and job creation.

“I was very impressed with the educational insights that Ashley provided for our 6th-grade students, it was fantastic,” stated Derek Updike, Teacher, Arcadia School District. “The organization and thought that went into the presentation and tour, interactions with Ashley employees, the message of teamwork and responsibility. I could go on and on, it was very appreciated by our students.”

Participating schools included North Pontotoc Middle School and Ripley Middle School in Mississippi; South Davie Middle School in North Carolina; Arcadia, Blair-Taylor, Cochrane-Fountain City, Eleva Strum, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau, Gilmanton Public School, Holy Family Catholic School, Independence Public School and Whitehall School District in Wisconsin; and Van Guard High School in Texas.

In addition to hosting the next generation of manufacturers, the company also celebrated National Manufacturing Day internally, sharing appreciation for the manufacturing workforce across the country.

Ashley is a proud and active supporter of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) initiatives to nurture and inspire future leaders.

Committed to creating meaningful educational partnerships, Ashley has developed and strengthened collaborations with K-12 and post-secondary schools, investing in learning opportunities, scholarships, instructor training, and robotics programs. As manufacturing continues to advance, Ashley recognizes the vital importance of educating and training the current and future workforce to add value to our communities.