WVU officials host workshop to bring students into advanced manufacturing

WVU instructors hosted an industry 4.0 workshop inviting several teachers and professors to learn more about the manufacturing work force and how it's growing.

"Big change happening right now with this so called revolution where the digital transformation and all of the digital devices that we use in our daily life make their way in the shop floor," said WVU assistant professor Thorsten Wuest.

With the industrial work force changing, officials say the workshop educates instructors on manufacturing, hoping those instructors will tell students about the industry.

"Manufacturing is not dangerous, dirty, or loud anymore," Wuest said. "It's a high-tech work place and we need to adapt our education system to provide that work force."

Wuest says several instructors from Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia joined to learn more. They hope to provide students with the information they need to continue into advanced manufacturing and the critical skill set they need.

"High schoolers often follow their instructors or their guidance counselors advice," Wuest said. "A lot of guidance counselors still have that mindset of manufacturing being a dead-end career."

Wuest hopes to change counselors mindsets and give them the proper information on where to start, what skills are needed to bring in future students not only into the industry but to WVU.

"They can provide the students with the right advice to say you want to have an exciting career with a lot of potential in the future? Manufacturing might be the right way and WVU is a great place to start."