SANFORD - A close look at modern manufacturing plants left a group of Lee County Schools' educators impressed with three important facts about modern manufacturing jobs: The "soft skills" they teach, such as team work, the ability to follow instructions, self-discipline and reading for content are critical; manufacturing requires high-tech skills; and manufacturing jobs pay as well as - sometimes much better than - jobs that require a four-year degree.

The educators spent most of Aug. 18 taking part in Manufacturing Day: Today and Tomorrow, put on by Central Carolina Community College's Economic and Community Development and Student Learning, Institutional Effectiveness and Grants divisions; and the Triangle South Workforce Development Board.

The educators were primarily teachers of social studies, math, science, English, and other non-vocational subjects. They toured the Coty, Inc. and Magnetti Marelli manufacturing plants in Sanford, as well as the college's Innovation Center in the Lee County Industrial Park.

Coty is an international manufacturer and marketer of fragrances, cosmetics and personal care products that employs 800 permanent workers at its Sanford plant. Magnetti Marelli Powertrain USA operates a manufacturing plant, product development center and technology center at its Sanford facility, employing more than 300 people. They are just two of the manufacturers in the area who look for people to employ who have not only the "hard skills" of vocational training but also the "soft skills."

Mike Peluso, CCCC's business services coordinator for the Triangle South Workforce Development Board said the tour was to introduce teachers to modern, high-tech advanced manufacturing; help them recognize the advantages of a career in advanced manufacturing for their students; and understand how the "soft skills" they teach are critically important for modern quality- and lean-focused manufacturing environments.

Manufacturing is critical to the economic health of North Carolina and offers well-paying, satisfying job opportunities, but most high school students are not aware of that, said Dr. Pam Senegal, CCCC vice president of Economic and Community Development. According to N.C. State University's Institute for Emerging Issues, North Carolina is the nation's fourth largest manufacturing state. It ranks first among southeastern states for manufacturing employment, with 430,000 employees, whose average annual compensation is 52 percent higher than for other job areas.

"About 70 percent of the manufacturing jobs in North Carolina require a two-year associate degree, not a four-year degree," Cathy Swindell, CCCC's director of Industry Services, told the educators. "What you teach, whether math, English, the arts, social studies, etc., can have as big an impact on students' careers in manufacturing as the technical side of education."

They were surprised when she added that high-tech manufacturing jobs are well paid. For example, an entry-level industrial systems maintenance technician with a two-year degree can earn $45,000-$50,000 and, after 10 years, can be making $70,000-$80,000.

At the Innovation Center, the educators enjoyed watching two of their group, Lee County High School teacher Teresa Bruner and Lee Early College guidance counselor Nick Testa, learn how to use the Center's welding simulator.

Welding instructor Jeff Bryant helped them don the high-tech welding helmet and manipulate a simulated welding "torch" that created a computer-generated image of their work. They experienced how the simulator enables students to learn the basics of "welding" without heat or the use of expensive metal consumables.

The teachers were impressed by what they learned about modern manufacturing.

"More than anything else, I want to relate to my students what has happened in manufacturing, the good job opportunities and the qualities they have to have to get those jobs," said Joe Duty, Lee County High School automotive technology teacher. "If kids don't get the right qualities in high school, they don't have a chance. If they get out without them, they'll never understand how important they are."

Senegal told the educators that the new Central Carolina Works program will also help the students. The public-private initiative will put career and college advisors in each of the public high schools in CCCC's service area of Chatham, Harnett and Lee counties.

Lee County Schools personnel taking part in Manufacturing Day were Dee O'Neal, of the LCS central office; Wendy Bryan, Teresa Bruner, Jeff Coggins, Joe Duty, Harriet Norris, and Dee Prince, all of Lee County High School; Nicholas Testa, Whitney Coon, and Mallory Nickel, all of Lee Early College; Judy Barbour, Ashley Beal, and John Scobbie, all of East Lee Middle School; and, Rhonda McNeill, of Broadway Elementary.

Central Carolina Community College personnel taking part in Manufacturing Day were Dr. Pamela Senegal, ECD vice president; Cathy Swindell, Industry Services director; Michael Peluso, Triangle South Workforce Development Board business services coordinator; Lara Abels, Central Carolina Works advisor; Patrick Kelly, coordinator of Student Outreach and Partnerships; and Sara Lambert, ECD business services coordinator. Meg Moss, Triangle South Workforce Development Board member, also took part in the Manufacturing Day tour and discussion.