Gateway ignites student interest in skilled trades at annual Manufacturing Day

Published on Oct 30, 2025

Last Friday, Gateway Community & Technical College welcomed over 100 high school students from across Northern Kentucky to its Boone Campus for Manufacturing Day 2025, a hands-on exploration event designed to inspire the region’s next generation of makers, builders, and problem-solvers.

The annual event, held in celebration of National Manufacturing Month, gives students a chance to step inside Gateway’s advanced manufacturing and skilled trade labs, operate state-of-the-art equipment, and meet the instructors and employers who power the region’s growing manufacturing economy.

Students, chaperons, and career coaches from participating schools experienced interactive demonstrations in areas such as welding, robotics, industrial maintenance, HVAC technology, and advanced manufacturing. 

Local industry partners including Krauss-Maffei Corporation, Safran Landing Systems, River Metals Recycling, Altium Packaging, Amrize - Building Envelope, Bosch, STEINERT, and Nucor Steel Gallatin, joined the event to showcase world-class career opportunities available right here in Northern Kentucky.

Throughout the day, students had the opportunity to mingle and network with representatives from these companies, asking questions and learning firsthand what a career in modern manufacturing looks like. They spoke with current employees and industry mentors about the skills needed to succeed and how programs like NKY FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education), Gateway’s premier earn-while-you-learn pathway, help connect students directly to these high-demand careers. 

“Manufacturing Day is about showing students that the trades are more than just jobs after graduation, they’re careers with purpose, technology, and advancement,” said Dr. Fernando Figueroa, President of Gateway Community & Technical College. “When students step into our labs, they see innovation in action. They see that they can build a successful life and career without having to leave home.”

The event also serves as a connection point for employers and educators each year. Local manufacturers networked with faculty and staff to discuss upcoming workforce needs and training partnerships, ensuring Gateway’s programs remain aligned with the industry demand seen in the region.

Gateway’s skilled trade and technical programs have seen record enrollment in the past year as more students and families recognize the value of affordable, hands-on education that leads directly to in-demand, high-wage careers. Many programs, including those in advanced manufacturing and industrial maintenance, have been filling to capacity each semester.

Director of Career Services, Christina Powers said, “Our students are graduating with skills that employers need right now. Manufacturing Day sparks that first moment of realization for many of these high schoolers, when they first see all the equipment, talk to our instructors directly, and realize that they can do this too.”

Gateway’s commitment to workforce development extends beyond Manufacturing Day. Through programs such NKY FAME and the Apprenticeship Academy, Gateway connects students directly with local employers, allowing them to earn while they learn, gaining both classroom knowledge and real-world experience.