Southland Development Authority (SDA)

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Young People Who Allegedly “Don’t Want to Work” Just Spent an 84-Degree Day Manufacturing a Cellphone Holder

“Manufacturing is coming back,” said Jean Pogge, Chief of Staff at Metals Hub. 

The evidence showed itself inside this remarkable 133,000-square-foot facility in Schaumburg, Ill., where the internship students spent June 20th, 2024 making a cellphone holder.

It was a process that was more involved than even they might have been expecting.

“In the Southland, there are lots of small manufacturing companies and a couple of large ones,” Pogge said. “And one of the problems they have is developing a workforce. They just don’t have enough workers to fill some of the orders they’ve got.”

There’s a reason for that—and it’s not that no one wants the jobs. Manufacturing construction spending has doubled since 2021. The boom is largely due to the CHIPS Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

So it’s not that students aren’t looking to fill these roles—it’s that these opportunities have only just started to appear. As a result, the culture surrounding trades and manufacturing jobs is changing. College enrollment in the United States has been declining for over a decade, with the number of 18-to-24-year-olds enrolled in college decreasing by about 1.2 million from a peak of 12 million in 2011. At the same time, trade programs and technical schools, especially those focused on specific trades, have experienced enrollment growth. According to World Metrics, trade school enrollment has been increasing at approximately 4% a year. Enrollment in construction trades courses increased by 19.3%.

That trend was never more obvious than on this day—when Metals Hub and the Amada team offered these Southland students a peek into the future of several industries, including metal forming automation, laser cutting, press brakes, punching, and robotic bending. It all began in the state-of-the-art conference room. The Amada team kicked off the program with a detailed presentation on a Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawing for the stainless-steel cellphone holder. This was the core of what the day was all about, with Amada experts walking the interns through an entire manufacturing process in great detail.

“The purpose of the internship program was to take these students who are learning these machines in the school and put them in a real work environment. So, they learn on a job for the summer—and they get paid minimum wage,” Pogge explained.

On top of that, students received an amazing experience to put on their resumes. First, they developed a blank layout using Amada software, which allowed for a foundational understanding of what it takes to turn a digital design into an actual, physical product. Then the students saw first-hand the laser cutting of the cellphone-holder blanks they had just learned about and designed. Meanwhile, the Amada experts stood by and explained how laser-cutting technology has changed manufacturing with its precise and efficient cutting of various materials. 

All of this led to the main event of the visit: the metal-forming station, and a hands-on activity that required, well, almost no hands on. A reduced need for manual intervention opened up a new world of possibilities. The Amada team put those possibilities into perspective—answering questions about career paths in this fast-changing market.

All interns went home with the final product they spent all day putting together: a stainless-steel cellphone holder. They might never look at cellphone holders the same way. The Metals Hub team was thrilled.

“The interns are pleased with the program. They’ve gotten real-world work experience. They [were] on the factory floor doing regular jobs,” Pogge noted. 

The SDA believes its commitment to these up-and-comers builds the foundation for economic development and innovation in the south suburbs.

“The SDA is anxious to build the manufacturing base in the Southland,” Pogge said. “And there are two parts to that: ensuring those businesses are connected to the people who can bring them orders, and building the workforce.” 

The internship was a great first step, and results from the program and its long-term future will be revealed after an evaluation in August 2024.

“We hope to continue it and maybe make it a year-round program for the students,” said Pogge, who wants to ensure the program provides immediate benefits and long-term growth for young talent in the manufacturing space.

This transformative, community-based work is only possible thanks to significant, sustained support from the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development. With the backing of Cook County, the SDA Metals Hub continues to catalyze change and growth in the Southland metals manufacturing landscape. 

About Southland Development Authority

The Southland Development Authority is a nonprofit business organization launched in 2019 by business, civic, and political leaders from around the Southland who recognize the potential of the region’s people, businesses, and real estate. Our mission is to bring the resources and capacity needed to achieve transformative, inclusive economic growth for the south suburbs with a focus on investments in the Southland’s communities, industry, housing, and workforce.

We work steadfastly to connect Southland business owners, investors, and individuals with key resources to operate and thrive in the region, from equipping mid-size and small businesses in our Business Growth services Program with customized advice and consulting services, to helping local residents access the tools needed to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. With a deep institutional knowledge of the Southland’s people, markets, and history and our multifaceted, experienced team, the Southland Development Authority is a powerful partner for any individual, business, or investor.

Pictured are the interns and school district directors who make up the Metals Hub alongside Christine Nappo (fourth from left), a director with the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development.